The Nepalese black marketeer paused mid-motion, the rag in his hand stilling as he wiped a piece of metal.
"…A lasgun?"
His eyes narrowed.
"You got your hands on one?"
Li Qinwu said nothing—only stared at him.
After a brief silence, the black marketeer shook his head.
"Then it's useless to you. Most lasguns are gene-locked. Only the registered user can operate them."
Li Qinwu frowned slightly.
So there really was a genetic lock.
That meant the weapon he had risked his life for might be nothing more than scrap.
"…Can it be unlocked?"
"Yes."
The black marketeer nodded.
"But it's not simple. You'd need a decoder to brute-force the lock. And for higher-grade weapons…" He tapped the table lightly. "…there's a machine spirit inside."
Li Qinwu's gaze sharpened.
"In the Imperium, even weapons are treated as sacred constructs. You anger the machine spirit, it won't cooperate. Worst case—it destabilizes. The power cell could overload after a few shots."
"…So?"
"You'll need sacred oils. Incense. Proper rites to appease it."
Li Qinwu absorbed the information.
"Where do I get those?"
The black marketeer shrugged.
"Decoders? Probably only the upper levels—official channels. As for oils and incense… you'll need mid-hive clearance. Find a shrine, make an offering. The priests will 'bless' you."
Li Qinwu nodded slowly.
Information like this was valuable.
---
The goods he ordered soon arrived.
He packed everything into his bag, slung it over his shoulder, then lifted the heavy promethium battery.
Even with his enhanced physique, the weight was brutal.
Still, he said nothing—only nodded once at the black marketeer before leaving.
---
The black marketeer watched him go.
One of his subordinates leaned in.
"Boss… should we—"
"Shut up."
The black marketeer didn't even look at him.
"You pick your targets. That one? He brings in standard-issue weapons."
His tone was cold.
"We need thirty reliable guns within a month. You want to fight the chemical gang with sticks?"
The subordinate immediately fell silent.
"Let him come and go freely," the black marketeer continued. "Anyone interferes—I'll turn them into fertilizer."
---
Li Qinwu retraced his path through the tunnels.
The guards at the entrance recognized him and let him pass without issue.
He walked in silence.
He wasn't worried about gang politics. If they tried anything, he would simply die, respawn, and retaliate endlessly.
But so far, the black marketeer had proven pragmatic.
That was enough.
---
Inside the steel corridor, he switched on his flashlight.
Heavy footsteps echoed.
The promethium battery weighed over 30 kilograms. The materials in his backpack added another 20.
A yellow load indicator appeared in his vision.
Movement Speed Reduced – 30%
"…Still manageable."
If it turned red, he wouldn't even be able to walk.
---
Back in his hideout, he sealed the iron door behind him.
Silence returned.
He dropped everything to the ground and immediately got to work.
---
First—the power source.
He placed the promethium battery in the corner.
---
Energy Module – Level Up
Status: LV0 → LV1
Power Source: Promethium Battery
Durability: 54%
---
Half-used.
Typical black market quality.
Still, even degraded, this battery was absurdly powerful—far beyond anything from his original world.
---
Next—lighting.
He installed wiring, connected bulbs, fixed them into the walls.
Click.
The room flooded with light.
---
Lighting System – Level Up
Status: LV0 → LV1
---
For the first time, the hideout felt… alive.
---
Then—the workbench.
He fed in the remaining materials, reinforcing its structure, connecting power.
After a burst of sparks and metal noise—
---
Workbench – Level Up
Status: LV1 → LV2
---
The upgrade added an angle grinder.
Faster. Cleaner. More efficient.
Without hesitation, Li Qinwu got to work.
Within minutes, he had removed all markings from:
The lasgun
Three remaining rifles
Armor and helmet insignias
Everything was now untraceable.
---
Afterward, he began training.
Push-ups.
Squats.
Short sprints.
---
Current Stats:
Strength: 11
Endurance: 12
Energy: 10
Resistances (Hunger, Thirst, Radiation, Toxins, Warp, etc.): 10
Proficiencies (Firearms, Melee, Vehicles, Power Armor, etc.): 10
---
Progress was slow.
Painfully slow.
Physical growth required repetition.
Time.
Discipline.
Eventually, he collapsed, exhausted.
After eating and rehydrating, he lay down again.
---
When he woke, darkness had fallen.
Perfect.
Night raids were safer.
---
He packed light.
A backpack.
A dagger.
Water.
Food.
No firearms.
"Knife runs are the core of survival."
He smirked.
---
But just as he stepped out—
He checked his system.
Two contacts.
Both marked with notifications.
Missions available.
---
Rudolph's location was unknown.
But the black marketeer?
Accessible.
Li Qinwu turned back toward the gang-controlled zone.
---
The guards let him through without question this time.
Inside, the atmosphere had changed.
Armed men gathered in groups.
Tension filled the air.
Something was about to happen.
---
He entered the shop.
The black marketeer was assembling a weapon from scrap parts.
He looked up and smiled faintly.
"My valued customer… what perfect timing."
Li Qinwu frowned.
"Timing?"
The black marketeer chuckled.
"We found something. A reactor—buried in construction debris."
His eyes gleamed.
"The chemical gang wants it too."
Silence.
Then—
"We'll see who wins."
He leaned forward.
"Bring me ten reliable firearms. I'll pay market price… plus 5,000 credits."
"And my favor."
---
A system notification appeared.
---
New Mission
Objective: Sell 10 firearms to black marketeer
Reward:
5,000 credits
Black Market Favorability: LV0 → LV1
---
Li Qinwu understood immediately.
Territory war.
Underhive politics.
He didn't hesitate.
"Ten guns? I'll get them."
The battlefield would provide.
---
The black marketeer smiled.
"May the Emperor watch over you."
---
Li Qinwu left.
Moments later, the system activated.
---
Deployment Initiated
Map: Northern Theater
Countdown: 10… 9… 8…
---
His vision blurred.
The world vanished.
---
When it returned—
He stood in a field, 30 kilometers from the hive city.
Night.
Cold wind.
War-scarred farmland.
---
No travel time.
No exposure.
Instant deployment.
This was the true power of the system.
---
He crouched low and surveyed the area.
Ruined farmland.
Destroyed buildings.
Two intact structures remained.
He moved silently toward one.
---
Inside—nothing.
Looted clean.
The war had passed through here many times.
---
But in the final room—
Under a bed—
He found something.
A small wooden carving.
Roughly crafted.
Shaped like the Emperor.
---
"…No way."
His eyes widened.
He opened the system.
---
Name: Emperor's Wood Carving
Rarity: Gold
Value: Unknown
---
A gold-tier item.