Datch wielded the non-biological conductor like an artist.
In the next instant, the metal-bound Great Book of Grudges hanging at Ragnir Gunstantine's waist suddenly began to tremble violently.
The book's cover was made of refined gold, its edges engraved with runes passed down through the Gunstantine family for generations. Its spine was embossed with countless intricate dwarf figures recording the humiliations the Gunstantine family had endured over the years.
The Great Book of Grudges flew out from the dwarf's waist, flipped in mid-air, and landed upright on the center of the table. The cover opened automatically, and the yellowed pages rustled as if someone were rapidly flipping through them.
Under the bewildered gazes of the crowd, a deep, resonant voice with a heavy dwarf accent emerged from between the pages.
"Everyone… everyone…"
The voice was melodic, carrying the arrogance typical of an old scholar along with a strangely humorous flair.
"I am the Great Book of Grudges of the Gunstantine family. It is an honor to meet you all here!"
The pages flipped a few more times, as if waving at the surroundings.
The air in the tavern instantly froze into an unnatural silence, broken only by the low hum of machinery.
The bartender, who had been wiping a glass, froze with wide eyes. Several smugglers sitting in the corner exchanged glances, their eyes filled with deep greed and wariness.
Everyone's attention was fixed on the talking book on the table.
"This is…" a burly mercenary with a mechanical arm and impressive beard whispered to his companion. "Have dwarf technology advanced this far? They can make a book speak like a living being?"
"I'm a little worried this might be caused by the Warp distortion."
"The Great Book of Grudges is telling its own story. This is truly rare."
The others were also discussing it, all turning to look at the dwarfs, eager to know what was happening.
Ragnir and his fellow dwarfs were completely bewildered.
They had no idea why the Great Book of Grudges had suddenly started speaking.
"What's wrong with this book?" a young dwarf whispered. "Has an ancestor's soul descended into it?"
Ragnir gave no answer. All the ancestors of the Gunstantine family had been sent to the Votann Core. How could they possibly still possess the Great Book of Grudges?
Could it be one of those damn sorcerers? Only they could do something this outrageous.
Ragnir sensed something was wrong and looked around, but found nothing unusual. Still, he felt like something was off, as if he had missed something important, though he couldn't pinpoint what it was.
Hidden in the corner, Datch watched the scene with a smile. He picked up the wine glass beside him, took a sip, and waited for what would happen next.
Just then, a pleasant fragrance drifted over as an elegant figure approached him.
She was a tall red-haired girl, not very old, yet possessing a surprisingly mature figure. Her long legs gleamed with a healthy, sensual glow under the dim light. Her ample chest was barely covered by a small piece of cloth that shifted slightly with every movement. Her skirt was so short it was impossible to make it any shorter, barely covering the tops of her thighs. A metal chain hung from her waist, jingling softly with each step. The ultra-high heels made her appear even taller and more alluring.
She walked up to Datch, leaned forward slightly, and pressed her graceful body against his arm.
"Are you alone, sir?"
Her voice was soft and sweet, carrying a hint of seduction. A cheap, aphrodisiac-like perfume wafted into Datch's nostrils — strong and inexpensive.
Datch turned his head, looked at her, and casually opened her information panel.
[Name: Daisy, Age: 19, Bar dancer and part-time hostess. Born in the local slums. Family is poor. Father is a gambler who owes a large debt to the local gang leader, Black Hand. At age 15, she was forced to work as a dancer and hostess in bars to repay the debt.]
"A gambling-addicted father, a sick mother, a younger brother in school, and a heartbroken girl… The game designers really understand life!"
"Even an unnamed NPC is designed with this much care and detail."
Datch casually pulled a thick wad of cash from his pocket.
This was all money he had painstakingly earned by scavenging from crates.
Without counting it, he stuffed the bills straight into the deep valley between the girl's breasts. The notes slid down the soft crevice with a faint rustling sound.
Feeling the weight of the money, Daisy's eyes lit up and her attitude became even more attentive.
When Datch lightly patted his thigh, Daisy naturally and reasonably sat down. Her body was soft and warm, with the elasticity unique to a young girl. She leaned against Datch, one hand resting on his shoulder while the other gently traced circles on his chest. Beneath her heavy makeup, her eyes now held a gentle smile.
Datch's in-game body was that of a Primaris Space Marine — tall, powerful, like a moving iron tower. If not for the stone hat on his head, his physique would undoubtedly have been the most eye-catching thing in the bar.
But at that moment, everyone unconsciously treated him as just an ordinary passerby of average height.
Deep in the Warp, within the Palace of Pleasure, Slaanesh — who had been delighting countless beings and absorbing their desires — watched this scene intently.
Excellent. Excellent.
The Nameless One was not without desires. He still had interest in the opposite sex.
This would be a good breakthrough point.
If they could use a woman to break through the Nameless One's psychological defenses, why not do it?
While everyone's attention was on the Great Book of Grudges, it spoke in a gloomy tone.
"Let me try a slightly cliché joke—"
The pages rustled as if clearing its throat.
"Gentlemen, if you ever feel useless, just think about a dwarf's kneepads."
The Great Book of Grudges paused, giving the audience time to think.
"What kind of creature would attack a dwarf's knees?"
When it finished, an eerie silence fell over the tavern.
Someone couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.
But the next moment, the laughter was forcibly suppressed and turned into strange, muffled groans. The faces of those around them turned bright red, their shoulders shaking violently as they struggled to hold it in.
They knew the temperament of space dwarfs well — petty, narrow-minded, and vengeful. Once mocked, one's name would be engraved in the Great Book of Grudges and punished someday in the future.
"In my opinion," the Great Book of Grudges continued in a dramatic, rhythmic tone, telling a joke no one dared to laugh at, "among everyone present, the Gunstantine family were undoubtedly the best bodyguards. It was impossible to sneak anything past their eyes."
"Pfft—" Someone finally couldn't hold it in and sprayed the wine in their mouth onto the person across from them.
"Cough cough cough!" Another person started coughing violently from suppressed laughter.
Some buried their faces in their arms, shoulders convulsing. Others slumped over the table, bodies shaking, too afraid to even lift their heads.
Ragnir's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
He gripped the heavy warhammer at his waist. When he activated it, bright electricity instantly covered the hammer's head.
"That damn daemon actually dares to possess the Great Book of Grudges and slander the Gunstantine family!"
Ragnir swung the warhammer down at the Great Book of Grudges, generating a fierce gust of wind and terrifying force.
BANG!!!
The sturdy table shattered into pieces, wood fragments flying everywhere.
But the Great Book of Grudges suddenly slammed its pages shut like flapping wings, lightly soared into the air, and dodged the falling hammer. It spun once in mid-air and even turned back to mock Ragnir.
"Even if you jump, you still won't hit my knees. Ah, sorry — I forgot I don't have knees."
"Destroy it!" Ragnir roared.
The other dwarfs grabbed their weapons and tried to repel the flying Great Book of Grudges.
The Great Book of Grudges flew around the tavern, darting over tables, causing screams and the sound of breaking dishes, turning the entire establishment upside down.
One dwarf aimed a plasma gun at the floating book.
Fwoosh!!
A blazing beam of energy shot out and struck the Great Book of Grudges dead-on!
"Ahhh, I'm done for!!"
The Great Book of Grudges fell from the sky, slammed heavily onto the ground, and stopped moving.
With the Great Book of Grudges shot down, the tavern's commotion subsided, though several patrons still left the establishment. They feared that the power of the Warp had given life to the dwarf's Great Book of Grudges and made it speak.
The Galactic Core was a chaotic place where heretics and cultists frequently appeared.
However, ordinary people still avoided the Warp like a plague. No one wanted to provoke soul-devouring monsters.
No one wanted to become the next unfortunate victim dragged into that mad dimension.
Ragnir, with a grim expression, picked up the tattered Great Book of Grudges.
They then continued trading with the Imperial merchants.
This time, neither party wasted time. They quickly inspected the goods before completing the transaction.
Shortly afterward, Ragnir and several other dwarfs carried out several treasure chests they had obtained in exchange from the Imperial merchants.
Datch remained seated in the corner, watching the dwarfs and the group of Imperial merchants leave the tavern.
Daisy stayed on his lap the entire time, as obedient as a docile kitten.
After taking a sip of his drink, Datch pressed a large sum of money into Daisy's hand.
This money could only be used for interactions with NPCs and could not be used to purchase items, so spending it was no loss.
Daisy's smile grew even brighter at the gesture. Tears seemed to well up in her eyes as she looked at Datch.
"Gentlemen…"
Her voice was soft and sweet. Her fingers traced circles on Datch's chest, the motion slow and provocative, carrying clear intent.
"So… won't you take me home?"
The realism of the Warhammer Universe game was truly impressive.
Even such details were reproduced with incredible realism — body temperature and touch felt completely lifelike.
On the second playthrough, he would need to find someone who could bypass the game pod's restrictions.
Seeing Datch remain silent, Daisy looked up at his face and asked understandingly,
"If it's inconvenient to go home, we can go upstairs."
The girl pointed toward the stairs. The lighting was dim, and several closed doors could be vaguely seen.
"The private rooms up there are very secluded. No one will disturb you no matter what you do."
"For generous guests like you, we have prepared plenty of special entertainment."
Datch shook his head with clear eyes. "I'm not really into that sort of thing."
When one is in a state of clarity, one speaks with conviction.
Daisy stopped speaking. Her eyes, which had been filled with charm and anticipation, now showed disappointment.
She had thought that if she could earn more money, she wouldn't have to spend any more time with those gang members.
In the sinful land of the Galactic Core, young and beautiful girls without powerful backers were destined for tragic endings.
She had been used as a money-making tool by the gang since she was young.
After growing old and losing her beauty, she would marry a gambling-addicted gang member who had run out of luck, and then force her own children to repeat the same tragedy.
Datch lifted the girl off his lap and stood up. Following the minimap's guidance, he headed out to find the Imperial merchants.
Daisy watched Datch leave the bar with a disappointed expression, forced a smile, and went to look for her next customer.
…
Datch walked through the neon-lit streets, his distorted shadow reflected in puddles.
The air was filled with various smells — the stench of rotting garbage, the sickly sweet scent of cheap perfume.
There was also an indescribable metallic smell, the scent of crime and violence.
Countless eyes watched from the shadows.
Gang informants, smuggler lookouts, street thugs making a living through robbery.
They were all cold and ruthless, lurking in the darkness, searching for targets.
Thanks to the effect of the stone hat, everyone unconsciously ignored Datch, treating him as just another passerby.
Datch was happy to let them. He crossed the chaotic streets smoothly and arrived at the hotel where the Imperial merchants were staying.
It was a fifteen-story building with a very ordinary appearance.
However, the heavily armed bodyguards at the entrance made it clear that this place was anything but ordinary.
They wore bulletproof vests, carried lasguns, and watched everyone passing by with wary eyes.
In a place like the Galactic Core, one small mistake could lead to robbery or being killed for money.
There was no law here.
But there were a few unspoken rules everyone knew.
Gangs owned their territories and land. Passing travelers could rest, spend money, and sleep soundly on their property.
Of course, if a guest was foolish enough, they might give the gang an opportunity to profit.
The gang wouldn't hesitate to commit murder or robbery for money.
Fully armed security personnel were stationed at the hotel entrance.
"Playing the game means using your head, not fighting and killing each other."
Datch hid in the shadows across the street and observed for a while. Then he took the Infinity Gauntlet from his game inventory and decided to use the power of the Space Stone.
A spatial portal opened. The next moment, Datch appeared inside a lavishly decorated room.
Inside the room, several people in fine clothing were seated around a round table.
Exquisite dishes and expensive drinks were lined up on the table.
They spoke in low voices while eating.
The commotion caused by Datch emerging from the spatial portal drew their attention.
The moment they saw the newcomer's face, their pupils contracted sharply and expressions of terror appeared on their faces.
"The Nameless One!!!"
A fat man screamed and jumped up from his chair, knocking over the floor lamp behind him.
Another tall, thin man instantly turned pale and scattered the documents in his hands across the floor.
The others instinctively reached for the guns at their waists but stopped themselves at the last moment.
Doing so would only hasten their deaths.
In the Nachmund Corridor region, the name "Nameless One" was widely known.
He was the man who could stand against the gods and toy with the Warmaster himself.
How could these rats living in the shadows possibly pose any threat to him?
Drawing a gun would only shorten the time until their deaths.
Just then, with a heavy thud, the room door was suddenly kicked open.
It turned out the life-detection device installed in the hotel room had detected an unconfirmed life signal and immediately alerted the guards at the door.
"Don't move!!"
All the bodyguards aimed their guns at Datch, who had suddenly appeared in the room.
The people inside the room felt terror at the sight, their faces turning even paler.
Pointing guns at Nameless One — that alone meant their lives were over.
If the Ecclesiarchy found out about this, those madmen would definitely roast them slowly over low heat for forty-nine days.
"Put your hands behind your head and kneel immediately."
The lead bodyguard roared, ready to fire at any moment.
"I originally wanted to use stealth, but I didn't expect it would also increase defense and attack power. Whatever. No more hiding."
Datch lightly waved his hand and opened the door to the Room of Requirement.
Fully armed primaris Astartes emerged in formation.
The bodyguards' fierce expressions froze. Their minds went blank in complete confusion.
The next moment, an ear-splitting, eardrum-rupturing barrage of gunfire erupted.
Before the bodyguards could even pull their triggers, they were torn apart by the hail of bullets.
Blood splattered across the walls. Corpses collapsed to the floor, forming bright red pools of blood.
In just a few breaths, the bodyguards were reduced to pieces.
The people in the room were so terrified they stood frozen in place.
Datch stepped over the scattered shell casings and bloodstains and walked toward the Imperial merchant trading with the space dwarfs. He opened the other party's information panel.
[Caligos Winters — Holder of a mobile merchant license authorized by the Star District Government. Officially engaged in grain trading as a legitimate merchant, but secretly involved in various smuggling activities. They have connections with multiple gangs and secretly trade with the dwarfs…]
"Caligos Winters."
Datch looked at the Imperial merchant in front of him and said, "Could you tell me what those space dwarfs bought from you?"
"They bought some special minerals from me that came from ruins of a lost era. Rumor has it they're trying to reverse-engineer ancient technology and build some kind of special device with them."
Due to the heavy atmosphere emanating from the Nameless One, Caligos could not lie and honestly confessed his dealings with the space dwarfs.
Not long ago, they had discovered ruins from a lost era and found some rare metals inside.
Upon learning of this, the space dwarfs had offered a high price to obtain them.
"What exactly are these space dwarfs trying to do?!"
Datch muttered to himself for a moment.
Seeing the exclamation mark above the Imperial merchant's head disappear, he prepared to leave and continue investigating based on this clue.
Just then, a series of noisy footsteps could be heard from outside the doorway.
"There's still no one bold enough to fire guns in my Black Hand Hotel. Who the hell is causing trouble in a place like this?! This should be interesting!"
A burly man who looked as strong as a bear appeared at the doorway.
This man had clearly undergone biological enhancement. He stood over two meters tall, with broad shoulders, a thick back, and arms thicker than an average person's thighs.
An ugly scar ran from the corner of his left eye down to his jaw, making his already intimidating face even more terrifying. He carried a modified large shotgun.
Behind him followed over a dozen gang members.
They were all armed with lasguns and autoguns, exuding a ferocious and oppressive aura.
They entered the room with their weapons ready to fire.
However, the moment they saw the primaris Astartes, their enthusiasm instantly vanished.
Even these infamous ruthless gangsters had their legs trembling.
The leader staggered back a step and bumped into his subordinates. The shotgun in his hands fell to the ground, but he didn't have the courage to bend down and pick it up.
The gang members behind him were in no better state. Their faces were all as pale as corpses.
Imperial lapdogs…
Instead of arresting heretics, instead of eradicating cultists…
What are you doing in this hotel?
Datch had originally not intended to pay attention to these gang NPCs because they had no exclamation marks above their heads.
But he unexpectedly saw the Black Hand gang's information panel and immediately thought of Daisy — the girl who had been forced to work as a dancer and hostess in bars since she was fifteen.
So he stopped walking.
As a responsible player, Datch was not only willing to complete quests but also happy to help NPCs he liked.
For example, when playing fighting games, he might do something outrageous like massacring an entire enemy clan for the sake of a pitiful character.
…
…
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