For example, the technique of separating flesh from bone—at first glance it seemed horrifying.
But its essence was simple: separation of matter based on density.
Human flesh and bone differ in structure and density.
---
If applied elsewhere—
Could psychic energy be used in mining?
Directly separating ore from rock?
---
And the blood-draining technique—
It manipulated water content.
In theory, it could even be used to dry clothes instantly after washing.
Extremely practical.
---
As they talked, the underground ventilation ducts of the Hive City came into view.
They had reached the extraction point.
---
Li Qinwu led the psyker to the edge of the ventilation entrance, standing in the mud.
One step forward meant stepping onto hardened terraformed ground.
And once that happened—
The extraction countdown would begin.
---
Before stepping onto the paved surface, Li Qinwu paused.
He turned back and removed several firearms from the psyker's body, transferring them onto himself.
Then he asked:
"By the way… what's your name?"
---
The psyker blinked, still not fully understanding why his equipment was being moved.
But he did not resist.
His confidence in his own power remained absolute.
---
"The Silent One."
---
Li Qinwu adjusted the heavy weight of the guns on his body.
His knees bent slightly under the load, his spine creaking under pressure.
He exhaled slowly.
---
"The Silent One, huh…"
"So you really hate the whispers… you prefer silence."
---
He smiled faintly.
"Name's Li Qinwu. Scavenger. I take any job—if the price is right. Even red stone."
---
Then he continued:
"Alright, Mr. Silent One. Go back and wait. I'll bring you the holy oil in a few days."
---
The Silent One paused.
"…What do you mean?"
---
Li Qinwu stepped forward onto the hardened ground.
At that moment, the green extraction countdown appeared.
---
He turned back with a slight smile.
---
"Little Jiji… have you ever seen someone disappear with a 'whoosh'?"
---
The Silent One frowned.
"…No."
---
Li Qinwu's smile widened.
"Then you're about to."
---
Whoosh.
He shouted it at the exact moment the countdown reached zero.
And then—
He vanished.
---
The Silent One's pupils contracted.
"…Huh?"
"…Huh!!"
---
He reached out frantically, grabbing at empty air.
Nothing.
No presence.
No trace.
---
A surge of panic exploded in his mind.
His only source of silence—
Gone.
---
"Aaaaaah!! Li Qinwu!! How am I supposed to live without you!!"
---
The Silent One erupted in panic, unleashing uncontrolled psychic shockwaves.
The ground fractured.
The surrounding terrain cratered under unstable Warp discharge.
---
---
Running Scav
---
Li Qinwu landed heavily at the bottom of the hive.
"Clatter—clatter—clatter…"
---
He hummed softly as he sorted his gear.
A successful haul.
Seventeen usable firearms.
Twenty full magazines.
Twenty homemade grenades, each containing over 800 grams of explosives.
---
He continued organizing with visible satisfaction.
Despite exhaustion, he began cleaning each weapon carefully.
---
Barrels were stripped of residue.
Corrosion risk eliminated.
Each weapon was disassembled, inspected, and rebuilt.
Then—
He applied holy oil.
---
After reassembly, he lightly kissed each weapon before setting it down.
As if blessing it.
---
Each gun took nearly twenty minutes.
He repeated the process for hours.
---
Next were the magazines.
All ammunition was removed.
Springs checked.
Magazines stored properly to avoid long-term deformation or feeding failure.
---
Then grenades.
Heavy improvised explosives.
Each one dangerous enough to qualify as a small demolition charge.
---
He carefully separated fuses from bodies to reduce accidental detonation risk while resting.
---
Finally, he exhaled.
Sleepiness hit him.
---
He cooked simple food, washed up, ate, and collapsed onto his bed.
---
Before falling asleep, he checked his status:
Strength 14
Endurance 15
Energy 13
Psionic Resistance 11
Psionic Proficiency 11
---
He frowned slightly.
Resistance made sense—psychic interference from the Silent One had strengthened him.
But psionic proficiency rising?
That was unexpected.
---
He considered it.
Perhaps exposure to a psyker had caused some form of contamination or adaptation.
---
In this world of Warhammer 40,000, psykers were not learned in the traditional sense.
They were born.
Awakened.
Or corrupted.
---
He let the thought fade.
Sleep took him.
---
When he woke again, he inspected the hideout.
The holy wine had finished "sanctification."
---
It now displayed new properties:
A divine consumable.
Energy boost.
Psychic resistance.
A protective aura against Chaos influence.
---
Li Qinwu whistled.
A consumable golden-tier item.
---
He briefly considered selling it—
Then immediately dismissed the idea.
He had no method of trade.
And no way to safely store wealth.
---
"…Damn it. Sitting on treasure and can't use it."
---
He wrapped the bottle carefully and stored it.
---
Then restarted production of the next batch.
---
After preparations, he packed supplies:
Holy oil.
Energy drinks.
Mechanical key.
---
He planned to return to the Water Ripple Monitoring Station.
But hesitation appeared.
The Silent One was unpredictable.
---
He considered protection options.
Then headed to a black market shop.
---
Inside, he asked casually:
"Got anything for suicide?"
---
The shopkeeper stared at him.
Then silently aimed a pistol at his head.
---
Li Qinwu's expression darkened.
"That's not what I mean."
"I mean something usable if I'm controlled and can't move."
---
The shopkeeper scratched his head and retrieved a small vial.
---
A thin capsule.
Assassin-grade toxin.
Bite-activated.
Delayed lethal release.
Even if immobilized, it would still function.
---
And—
A warning:
"Do not let children swallow it accidentally."