MTLNOVEL Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Everything Was Part of the Plan
"Item: Everchanging Number Book"
[Origin: Underworld Shield System – Asford Planet – Vedia City Ninth District]
[Description: A black book corrupted by a Lord of Change, covered with complex mathematical formulas.]
[Produced: 998.M41]
[Condition: 99% New]
[Value: 1,800,000 credits]
"Sell?"
Zhou Yun's head was close to bursting from the pressure of numbers. Gritting his teeth through the pain, he stared at the four-dimensional pocket where the black book floated silently, the number vortex still spinning above it.
"It… can be sold?"
A hint of delight flashed in Zhou Yun's eyes.
This was his spur-of-the-moment idea: if it couldn't be destroyed, why not just throw it into the pocket and sell it?
Tzeentch's corruption? Lord of Change? Go back to playing with your nanny drones in the 22nd century!
Without a shred of hesitation, he grabbed it and instantly confirmed the sale.
One million eight hundred thousand credits transferred instantly. The black book disappeared from the pocket, destination unknown.
Far away, in the surging tides of the Warp…
In the crystalline labyrinth of the Firmament, the blue domain of the Changer of Ways shimmered.
It was a maze of polished, translucent crystal, its corridors randomly shifting, dissolving, twisting, merging and splitting without pattern. In the refracted lights of the crystal walls, countless strange, symbolic images flickered: mist-shrouded statues, cackling blue eagles, writhing serpents, chaotic murals…
This was the domain of the Changer of Ways: a constantly shifting realm of Chaos, reshaped at the whim of its thousand-faced master.
Any mortal who dared gaze upon this place was sure to be infected by its infinite masks and driven mad.
Nine gates stood here. Nine hundred and ninety-nine riddles awaited answers. Ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine fates intertwined. Nine hundred ninety-nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine dice tumbled down.
And today, in a moment scattered across non-linear time, one die fell and revealed a brand-new plan to the Lord of Change's minions.
"Gahahahaha!"
A Lord of Change—bird-headed, covered in bluish-purple feathers, clad in a Hellenic-style robe—cackled shrilly.
The Lords of Change were the great daemons of Tzeentch, executors of his plans, who through their master's favor could glimpse events at any point in time.
Before it, a vortex of numbers spun: a gateway to reality, a weak point between the Warp and the material universe.
All it needed was one last push to enter realspace.
This was part of Tzeentch's Grand Plan. He had woven it all: this daemon would step into reality and wreak havoc on a human world.
The Lord of Change gripped its staff, wings beating as it charged into the number vortex. Around it, pink and blue horrors cackled, flickering horrors cheered with their many arms, and even other Lords of Change gathered above the maze to watch the final moment of this beautiful scheme.
The Changer had crafted a perfect snare over decades, spreading corruption through seemingly harmless numbers, infecting 9,999 children in silence.
Tonight, the corruption awakened within them all, offering them as sacrifices to open the gateway for the Lord of Change.
The daemon gloried in its master's wisdom. The vortex spun faster, reality's barrier as thin as mist…
The Lord of Change laughed madly and hurled itself at the vortex—
WHUMP!
The vortex vanished. The gateway slammed shut.
The Lord of Change crashed headlong into the crystal wall behind it.
All the Tzeentch daemons froze in stunned silence.
The door to reality… was gone. The corruption in reality cut off.
The Everchanging Number Book, painstakingly crafted over decades, had vanished from both the material universe and the Warp.
The Lord of Change scratched its head in bewilderment.
This wasn't in the plan. This wasn't what it had foreseen. Was it the schemes of the Cursed One? The meddling of the Corpulent Ones?
Why did the book disappear from both planes?
It looked toward the highest throne beyond the nine gates.
"Master… was this… part of your plan?"
The air fell silent.
The pink and blue horrors dared not speak. The flickering horrors twisted in nervous glances. Even the Lords of Change craned their long necks.
After nine-point-nine seconds, a soft voice finally drifted from the depths of the maze:
"Yes…
"Yes, everything is part of the plan."
In the real world, the church burned in purging flames. Under the gaze of the Emperor and Sanguinius statues, the Ecclesiarch priests personally lit the fire, condemning the church for being tainted by heretical donations. Only the sacred relics and statues had been removed beforehand.
The PDF swept through the Ninth District, barging into homes, dragging children from beds under the priests' chants. Even grown men and women who had once been taught by Nama Karl were pulled out.
And before death took them, most of the corrupted were already raving mad.
Zhou Yun guessed there were exactly 9,999 corrupted.
But Augustus Flax stated coldly that tonight's dead would not end there. All who'd studied under Nama Karl—and their families—would be rigorously investigated to ensure no stragglers escaped.
Once Nama Karl's corruption was confirmed, Augustus Flax acted without hesitation. The PDF cleansed the Ninth District and covered up Zhou Yun and Rena's involvement, sparing them from the Ecclesiarchy's purge.
Especially Rena. Being an unregistered psyker and a former student of Nama Karl, she'd already gone into hiding.
"How are you holding up?"
The remote servitor of Augustus Flax regarded Zhou Yun, who was silently watching the fire.
"Any hallucinations? Headache? Dizziness?"
"No. I'm fine," Zhou Yun replied, shaking his head. "Everything's normal."
He gazed at the roaring flames, which reflected the Warp and his own indistinct blue, round figure within it.
"…Damn. Don't tell me I'm really turning into Doraemon."
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/euridome]
[Thank You For Your Support!]