NOVEL WEB Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Dora Kaur?
"No."
Augustus Fraks's expression did not change.
"I've already investigated for you. Nama Carl's life is completely normal."
As he spoke, Augustus Fraks handed a file over to Zhou Yun.
Zhou Yun opened it to find the details of Nama Carl's entire life.
"Nama Carl. Her husband was a minor manager at the Hades System asteroid mining company."
"Decades ago, a band of roaming Orks attacked the Hades System. The asteroid belt was among the first to be hit."
"Nama Carl's husband was stationed there. He showed his loyalty to the Emperor and died for it."
Augustus Fraks spoke calmly.
Zhou Yun glanced at the file as he listened.
It was true. Nama Carl's husband died during the greenskin incursion of the belt. He'd organized the workers to fight back and was killed, earning her deep respect among the locals.
"After that, Nama Carl simply lived a quiet life between work and home. She sometimes tutored local children in math."
"Her only hobbies are teaching and mathematics. She's never shown any signs of corruption."
"When this chapel was built, she even donated money."
"These are the receipts."
Augustus Fraks pointed to a receipt in the file, which showed Nama Carl had indeed contributed almost her entire savings: 6,561 blood coins.
On the surface, Nama Carl seemed to be a devout Imperial Cultist, with harmless hobbies. The only minor fault was that she rarely came to pray—only 153 times in the past four years. But she'd been here just seven days ago.
Everything seemed normal… yet Zhou Yun couldn't shake his unease.
He mentally added up her prayer count: 153. The digits added together equaled nine.
But he didn't say it out loud—it sounded far too paranoid.
Was he just overthinking? No. Something still felt wrong.
"Don't worry. If there really is corruption, I won't hesitate to bombard the entire Ninth District."
Augustus Fraks reassured him with a deep voice.
Zhou Yun frowned.
The Ninth was the only way for many lower-hive districts to access the upper hive. Destroying it would drive up the cost of transporting food and necessities, sending prices soaring.
And deaths… would be inevitable. It could even spark a riot.
"If the underhive suffers a little, I'll just put down the riot myself," Augustus Fraks said coldly.
What a bastard, Zhou Yun thought, shaking his head.
When killing Nama Carl quietly would solve the whole problem—even if she looked innocent.
"Nama Carl is a devout Cultist. Her husband died for the Emperor. If I kill her with no evidence… some would question my own loyalty."
Noticing Zhou Yun's stare, Augustus Fraks admitted honestly.
"And your loyalty wouldn't stand up to scrutiny either," Zhou Yun shrugged.
After all, this man had been trying to get hold of Ignace Karkasy's notebook—the one that recorded the corruption spells of Davin. Zhou Yun suspected Augustus intended to use those corruptions as a last resort—if the Hades Worm really came for him, he'd drag the whole of Asford into Chaos.
"Yes. So, no, you can't use the PDF," he continued. "If you're going to kill her, it has to be done quietly."
Then Augustus smiled.
"And besides, your loyalty wouldn't stand up to scrutiny either. You're consorting with an illegal psyker."
At that, Zhou Yun smiled faintly.
"I'm just keeping a fool around. Nothing compared to you, Governor, keeping a whole squad of escaped Black Ship psykers as your private troops."
"Governor, you wouldn't want the Inquisition finding out about that, would you?"
Augustus Fraks's expression stiffened slightly.
"How do you know?" he asked, with a faint edge of alarm.
Those illegal psykers were hidden in his private catacombs, managed entirely by servitors. There should have been no way for anyone to find out.
Zhou Yun only gave him a dazzling smile.
"…I underestimated you," Augustus finally admitted.
"Let's talk cooperation. Radbon told me you needed money. I can give it to you. But I need you to make a trip to the underhive."
Zhou Yun's eye twitched.
The underhive… again?
"I have eyes in the lower hive, but none in the underhive. That's the domain of cultists, mutants, and the Hades Worm. But you seem capable of moving between the districts unharmed. So you should be able to go into the underhive and check on the Hades Worm for me."
"After all, you even know about my psykers."
As he spoke, Augustus reached into his pocket and handed Zhou Yun a linen-wrapped pouch.
Zhou Yun opened it to find pure blood-red gemstones, each the size of his thumb, of exceptionally high quality.
"This isn't payment. Consider it a gift between friends," Augustus said with a smile. "If you go to the underhive and bring me useful information, there'll be much more for you."
Zhou Yun calmly pretended to tuck the pouch into his coat, but actually slipped it into his fourth-dimensional pocket.
Seeing the fifteen thousand he'd just earned, Zhou Yun's gaze toward Augustus Fraks turned hot.
If he could just kidnap this guy and ransom him…
But Zhou Yun stayed cautious.
"Let me just confirm… are you really Augustus Fraks himself?" Zhou Yun asked, testing him.
"You're clever," Augustus said admiringly. "You even saw through this."
"The man you see now is actually a servitor made decades ago by a passing Adeptus Mechanicus Archmagos I hired."
"That Magos was very interested in our family's bloodline. After I gave him a few young children, he made this servitor for me."
"It perfectly mirrors my appearance, can be remotely piloted, and moves with human grace."
Zhou Yun glanced at the governor's servitor. You really couldn't tell it wasn't human. Same looks, same expressions, and remotely controlled. Which Magos had that level of skill?
"Can I ask what that Magos's name was?"
"I heard he called himself Belisarius Kaur."
(End of Chapter)
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