The core district of the Ray Gang.
The survivors of the catastrophe and members of other gangs who had rushed over upon hearing the news were all trying to fathom exactly what had happened.
Gang wars were not uncommon. Hundreds of thousands of people clashing, blood flowing like rivers, and corpses piling up into mountains were merely a bit of seasoning for the monotonous life of a Hive World. The winners became the new controllers of the district, while the losers didn't even have their bodies properly disposed of.
Who had annihilated the Ray Gang?
Ade was there as well. He knew who had done it, but the answer was far too shocking. Did that newcomer really possess such power?
"Do you think we can use this chance to attack the winner? The Ray Gang's territory is quite large; we could make a fortune."
"I suggest you abandon that thought," Ade warned the gang representative harboring illicit ambitions.
"Ade, look. The Ecclesiarchy is here too."
A masked woman raised her hand and pointed in a certain direction. Guarded by a squad of Skitarii-patterned protectors or temple guards, a figure dressed as a Cardinal stood remarkably close to the scene.
"If we catch the eye of those fanatics, we're in deep trouble. Who on earth caused this kind of commotion?"
"Stop whining. Someone's coming out."
At the gates of the ruined fortress, a man slowly emerged. He wore strange white clothing. Sensing the countless gazes fixed upon him, he scanned the surroundings and spoke: "Who else wishes to be an enemy of the Yuki Gang?"
No one answered. Everyone assumed other fighters were still hidden within the destroyed fortress.
The masked woman, her entire body hidden beneath a heavy cloak, was the first to speak. "Yuki Gang? A newcomer? And who might you be?"
"I am Yuki. The Ray Gang committed countless injustices and has been brought to justice by my hand. Their former territory will now be taken over by us. If any of you have an objection, speak now."
"You clearly don't know the rules," the woman countered. "Who wipes out an entire gang's leadership in one go? Do you intend to face all of us at once?"
Yuki looked at the strange woman. He wanted to use his psychic powers to probe her, but the presence of the silent Ecclesiarchy officials made him hesitate. Those fanatics carried holy relics; if he utilized psychic energy, he would be detected instantly. The Imperium didn't care about the lives of Underhivers, but discovering an unsanctioned psyker was a different story entirely.
"We can coexist peacefully," Yuki stated. "If you wish to have a share of the Ray Gang's remains, I have no objection."
"Interesting." The woman looked around at the others as if gauging their opinions.
Yuki quickly added a condition. "Of course, gangs that do not share a border with the Ray Gang's territory should have no right to participate in the partitioning, correct?"
Yuki was gambling, trying to win over the surrounding gangs with these small concessions. If he failed, he would become the target of everyone in the room.
"That is true," Ade was the first to speak up. "Mr. Raziel would be quite pleased to know this new friend."
The masked woman made a quick estimation and سپس declared: "Hahaha, it seems some friends will be going home empty-handed then."
Seeing these two power players speak in such a manner, the others dropped their demands. Yuki made a mental note; it seemed Raziel and this masked woman possessed significant influence. His earlier decision to barge into Raziel's core district had been incredibly reckless.
However, no one left. Everyone was waiting for the final, most important faction to speak. The man dressed as an Ecclesiarchy bishop finally spoke.
"Yuki, I have no interest in your pathetic secular struggles for territory. I need you to answer me: have any traces of cult activity appeared here?"
Cults? Did he mean the Death Cult? Chaos worship? Or Genestealers? The Underhive was crawling with all sorts of horrors; one wouldn't even be surprised to find Necrons down here. But what was the Ecclesiarchy's goal in asking this? If they had already confirmed the presence of the Death Cult, were they testing him?
Yuki thought for a moment and gave his answer. "Cults? In a Hive so loyal to the Emperor, such things couldn't possibly exist. Everyone I've seen follows the Emperor with devotion, as do I. Of course, I cannot compare to the holy members of the Ecclesiarchy in this regard; perhaps my observations were insufficient?"
This opportunistic answer didn't brighten the Bishop's expression. "Regardless, this district must undergo an inspection. Can you accept that?"
"If it is the Emperor's will, I accept it gladly."
No one had any further objections. This was just another common shift in territorial control within the Hive. No one knew where this Yuki had come from, but he had carved his way into the Underhive world with terrifying speed.
For the common residents, not much would change. The lower levels of the original gang's organization quickly "fell to their knees," flocking to the new headquarters: the abandoned corpse-starch factory.
The sight of the conjoined twins guarding the entrance intrigued them, but that didn't matter. When Yuki appeared before them—the new boss who had personally crushed all their former superiors—everyone remained silent.
"You're here?"
"Yes, Mr. Yuki."
Yuki had expected many to oppose him, given his sudden emergence. However, there didn't seem to be a single voice of dissent.
"Mr. Yuki, please allow us to introduce ourselves."
The Ray Gang controlled twelve blocks, with a population of nearly two million people. They had approximately ten thousand low-level enforcers—ruthless thugs who kept the ordinary citizens in line. The hundred or so people standing before Yuki now were the supervisors of those ten thousand.
Truthfully, Yuki wasn't particularly interested in remembering their names.
"You did well enough before," Yuki began, laying out his new rules as the controller. "But I expect more order. First: no cannibalism. Second: no killing without cause. Third: be reasonable."
"Naturally, I will ensure fair distribution," Yuki continued. "Following me will bring you many benefits, and when future crises arrive, you will have a better chance of survival."
Yuki briefly described his requirements. The men noted that execution might be difficult, but they would try. Yuki no longer had the energy to manage these trivialities. The gang business could be handled however they liked; what Yuki needed was a stable supply of biomass. As long as they didn't make things look too ugly, he didn't care.
Now, Yuki had a far more important matter to settle.
Yuno had forcibly boosted his psychic power earlier, and that was far from normal. He could sense Yuno's presence upstairs, yet he couldn't see through her mind.
What on earth was Yuno stirring up?