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Ignis never expected that the vehicle coming to pick him up would be an ambulance.
According to Jane Doe's explanation, this kind of vehicle—modified from a medium-sized truck—was originally meant to transport large Thiren in need of emergency treatment. However, when the Salamander boarded, the rescue compartment converted from the cargo bay contained nothing but two chairs.
He vaguely recalled that the last time he barely escaped death at the hands of U'zuhl the Skulltaker, he had been taken straight onto an ambulance after leaving the Hollow. But back then he had been unconscious. Today, he was experiencing it firsthand.
After getting inside, the Salamander noticed that all the windows had been sealed with tape. He was about to pry open a small gap to see where they were heading, but Jane Doe immediately stopped him.
"Don't move, idiot!" The woman kicked him with her studded combat boots. "Make any extra moves and I'll have Preciado rip your arm off. Is the Lucenti family really this undisciplined?"
Ignis stared at Jane Doe in confusion. She flicked her gaze toward the corner of the compartment. Only then did Ignis understand—there was surveillance equipment.
"Understood, Ms. Jennifer."
Ignis apologized in the sincerest tone he could muster, but the moment that fake name slipped out, Jane Doe almost lost control of her expression.
She struggled to suppress her laughter and kicked the Salamander's leg several times in a row. Ignis responded with exaggerated expressions, which only made her kick harder.
This was the first time Ignis had ever felt this relaxed while on a mission. In the past, whether under Sergeant Volkanic's command or while carrying out assignments in New Eridu, he had always been tense and serious.
He couldn't help but recall those countless orbital drop operations aboard Thunderhawk gunships. The old sergeant would continuously explain mission details and tactical points, while the veteran Sindefist would usually laugh loudly and assure him that this mission wouldn't be too difficult.
Indeed, as a member of the reserve Sixth Company, they were rarely deployed to the fiercest battlefields. Yet even in these comparatively lower-intensity war zones, the scenes had left an indelible impression on him—endless Tyranid swarms blotting out the sky, bloated Plague Marines whose armor had fused with their rotting flesh, and roaring Ork Boyz charging at him in manic excitement.
He had also witnessed the massive Knight war engines under the Adeptus Mechanicus, fighting alongside heavily augmented Skitarii in red robes. He had advanced battle lines together with the loyal and brave men and women of the Astra Militarum, and on many occasions, had even been saved by courageous mortal soldiers.
As a Space Marine of the Salamanders Chapter, he had always been protected by comrades of all kinds. Whether facing Chaos abominations or terrifying Tyranid beasts, he had rarely suffered serious injuries.
Now, in New Eridu, he had to fight to protect his new life and his new friends.
He could not allow those damned monsters to destroy everything he had. The Emperor had sent him here for a reason—there had to be purpose in it.
He let out a quiet sigh and reached out to rub Jane Doe's wig. Yes, this woman was now also someone he was willing to fight for. If the corruption of Slaanesh was not eradicated, her work would always be accompanied by danger.
Jane Doe did not speak. She was only a little puzzled as to why this giant suddenly reached out to pat her head like she was a child.
She had been calculating the vehicle's travel distance by counting heartbeats, tracking turns and trying to outline a mental route map. the Salamander's sudden action completely disrupted her concentration.
Forget it. Originally, the plan was simply to gather intelligence, cause some chaos, and let this big guy destroy those cursed narcotics in the confusion. As for arresting people—that could wait.
As long as they identified high-value targets, digging up evidence of illegal activity later wouldn't be difficult.
The woman trained in criminal investigation pondered what kind of trouble she should stir up at the auction.
Suddenly, the ambulance siren blared, and the vehicle's speed sharply increased. Jane Doe's route-tracking plan was completely ruined. The speed clearly exceeded the city limit, making distance estimation impossible.
So, her reputation as a troublemaker had already been exposed, and that was why they sent this vehicle?
This made things troublesome. Neither of them had a backup plan. If they caused chaos at the auction and then couldn't escape, they would be finished.
They both saw unease in each other's eyes, but as veterans of countless dangerous situations, they quickly suppressed it. Everything would have to be handled on the fly.
Inside the Hollow, the drive only lasted a few minutes. However, due to the spatial instability within Hollows, it was impossible to determine how far they had traveled from the entry point.
"Why the hell is this inside a Hollow?! Damn it! I can't even play on my phone anymore!" Jane Doe shouted as she kicked the compartment wall hard.
"We're almost there," the driver hurriedly tried to placate her, clearly aware that Jane Doe was not someone to provoke.
Sure enough, in less than a hundred heartbeats, the vehicle came to a stop.
Although they were inside a Hollow, the Ether radiation level was low. Ignis judged that this place was similar to C41—likely a Hollow that had entered a decay phase.
Even so, without Carrot data and with a bit of bad luck, escaping would still be impossible.
After getting out of the vehicle, they discovered the location was an abandoned theater. Jane Doe exchanged a glance with him, clearly surprised as well.
She did not recall any theater in New Eridu being swallowed by a Hollow. Such buildings required huge investments and had limited utility, and usually would not be located far from population centers. Moreover, the core districts of New Eridu were either far from Hollow disaster zones or would be rapidly cleared once a Hollow appeared.
That left only one possibility—this place was actually inside Hollow Zero, part of the Old Capital region.
What shocked the Thiren woman even more was that the vehicles transporting other guests were all low-profile types that wouldn't draw attention on the streets. It was obvious that the person behind this had considerable influence.
Picking up invitees scattered across the city and transporting them here via taxis or special vehicles greatly reduced the risk of being tracked. Anyone capable of mobilizing such a fleet clearly possessed significant power.
Jane Doe recalled which gangs relied on transportation for money laundering. Among them, those with fleets of this scale were extremely rare.
Ignis roughly counted—there were at least two hundred invitees. Even if half were attendants, that still meant over a hundred organizations had received invitations. He knew New Eridu's underworld was crowded with vermin, but he hadn't expected this many.
"See that? I've already recognized several celebrities from the entertainment industry," Jane Doe whispered. "Famous musicians, bestselling authors, a well-known choreographer, a reality show director…"
"If we wipe them all out in one sweep, wouldn't New Eridu's entertainment industry collapse overnight?" Ignis remarked dryly.
"Some of them may have only received invitations, but others have clearly already used other types of illegal drugs," Jane Doe said, noticing the driver approaching and immediately switching expressions.
"Damn it, why bring me to a place like this? Trying to keep me from leaving?" She spat on the ground, putting on a vulgar act. "Don't try any tricks, or our boss will make you regret it."
The driver, unwilling to argue with someone who already looked abnormal just from her clothes, nodded repeatedly.
"You're right. I'm only responsible for bringing you in. Someone else will handle your departure."
"Please don't trouble this gentleman. He knows very little about today's grand event."
A man—at least judging by his voice—approached. He wore an owl-like mask adorned with precious metals and several large gemstones. He was tall and slender, carrying himself with elegance, dressed in a robe resembling a Toran ceremonial garment.
"Ms. Jennifer de Rivallier, it's a pleasure to meet you. I once attended your band's live performance. Your bass playing was magnificent," he said theatrically, like a stage actor.
"I've never seen some idiot dressed like you at any of our shows," Jane Doe replied with feigned disgust, while secretly assessing his identity.
"Oh, dear lady, such crude language. Yet it is precisely this straightforwardness that made your band's performance so delightful to me." He stepped closer, took Jane's hand, and placed a cat-shaped mask into her palm.
"One must wear appropriate attire for the venue. When I attend metal concerts, I certainly don't dress like this." Then he turned to Ignis. "Hmm, what a strong gentleman. Let me see what kind of mask would suit you."
His gaze swept back and forth over Ignis's face, making the Salamander uncomfortable. If he didn't have full confidence in Jane Doe's disguise work, he would have thought himself exposed.
"Dear lady, where did you find such a mighty warrior to serve as your bodyguard?" The man waved over several guards dressed similarly to Ignis. They opened briefcases filled with exquisitely decorated masks.
"You know the Lucenti family, right? I paid their godfather a little extra," Jane Doe said impatiently. "Can you hurry up?"
"Oh, your temperament is just as fiery as your band's style. Believe me, this warrior deserves a carefully chosen mask worthy of his status." The man ignored Jane's anger and instead threw several flirtatious glances at Ignis.
The Salamander felt his blood run cold. This man, in these clothes—he was probably some damned Slaanesh devotee.
"Ah, found it." He pulled out a massive mask shaped like a dragon's head. "Only this befits your identity."
Ignis silently accepted it, but the man then grabbed his large fingers and began rubbing them. the Salamander immediately broke into a cold sweat. This bastard was definitely into it, and those guards were probably part-time escorts too.
He forcefully pulled his hand back. The man clasped his hands to his chest, feigning shock. "How rude…"
"But I like it." He threw another flirtatious glance at the Salamander. "I'll have a talk with the Lucenti godfather. I'll give him an offer he can't refuse."
"Once you've put on your masks, you may enter. Today's auction will be marvelous. Besides 'Fantasy,' we'll also be selling other interesting items. I'm sure you'll be intrigued."
With that, the man turned to leave, though his gaze lingered reluctantly on the Salamander.
Once he moved on to other guests to select their masks, the Salamander immediately rubbed his hands vigorously against his clothes.
"Didn't expect it. Someone like you is actually quite popular in his circle," Jane Doe teased quietly.
"Don't enjoy this. There's something wrong with him," Ignis said coldly. "He's under the control of a Chaos god. I felt it when he handed me the mask."
Indeed, a burning sensation spread across his face, and the mask itself was tainted. The Western dragon design was inlaid with jade and emeralds, with dragon horns molded from gold. Inside the open maw were countless ruby fragments forming the throat and platinum-cast fangs.
Had he already been exposed? Did that man uncover his identity just by touching him? Greater Daemons of Slaanesh, known as Keepers of Secrets, were said to perceive hidden desires in mortal hearts and draw them out. Yet that owl-masked man hadn't caused a particularly intense burning sensation.
Was it coincidence? Could such coincidences exist?
When dealing with Chaos cultists, one must always assume the worst.
"If I disappear for too long, I can only hope Phaethon will trace my last known location… or that the Emperor will guide my path back."
Before entering, the Salamander still had one more thing to do.
He channeled his psychic power, forming a small golden orb of light at his fingertips.
"What is that?" Jane Doe asked. Although she knew he possessed unusual abilities, seeing it in person was still strange.
"The power granted by the protector of humanity whom I serve. It can shield you from the corruption of Chaos." He pressed the small orb against Jane Doe's forehead.
Emperor, please protect this woman. She is the love of my life. As You protect me, so too protect her.
The orb slowly sank into her forehead.
"How does it feel? Any discomfort?" Ignis asked immediately.
"It feels… quite nice. Like warm water. I heard a voice say 'Good,'" Jane Doe touched her forehead. "What did you ask him for?"
"I prayed for Him to protect my beloved—just as He protects me," Ignis answered frankly.
Jane Doe's face instantly turned red. It took her a while to calm down.
"What kind of confession is that? Using your god to confess?" She was unusually flustered. This kind of solemnity was far too much.
"If this counts as a confession, then I've already said it many times," Ignis replied calmly. "This was mainly to seek His consent."
"You idiot…" Jane lightly kicked him. "We're on an infiltration mission. Don't mess around and make me slip up."
the Salamander didn't argue. Without that protection, if Slaanesh truly noticed Jane Doe, the result would be catastrophic.
And there was one more thing he needed to clarify to her.
"By the way—He is not a god."
"Huh?"
Ignis's single sentence successfully crashed Jane Doe's mental processor.
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