"Sorry, something suddenly came up."
Adam spoke rapidly while raising a hand to signal a guarding Custodian in the distance.
"Tribune Colquan, take the Regent into the Webway first to inspect the engineering progress so he can get a sense of the scale. I must excuse myself."
Before Colquan or Guilliman could react, Adam snapped his fingers. His body seemed to be erased by an invisible eraser, vanishing instantly into thin air.
"..."
"..."
Looking at the spot where the Emperor's Contractor had just fled, Colquan and Guilliman exchanged a glance. An ominous premonition stirred in both of their hearts.
Outside the Throne Room.
Captain-General Trajann Valoris looked at the hurrying Adam with a touch of surprise. After a moment of thought, he opened the doors leading to the Golden Throne.
Radiant brilliance surged out, illuminating the corridor. Under Adam's skillful application of reality warping, the endless stream of pilgrims outside the Throne Room noticed nothing unusual.
Adam took a deep breath and stepped inside. Familiar light flooded his vision. Following a brief moment of trance, that recognizable cathedral appeared before him once more.
Adam looked around and saw a figure sitting in one of the pews.
The Emperor looked up wearily. "You've come, Adam. What do you need?"
Adam studied him and raised an eyebrow. "Is that a new skin you're wearing?"
The Emperor currently looked like an exhausted, middle-aged man of Central Asian descent. He had heavy bags under his eyes, deep dark circles, and sallow skin that radiated a sense of absolute burnout.
"Who do you think caused this?" the Emperor sighed.
"Your reorganization of the Martian Mechanicus was too aggressive. Within the Imperium, everyone from the Astartes and the Sisters of Battle to the Inquisition is on high alert regarding the 'Avatar of the Omnissiah' that suddenly appeared on Mars."
"To prevent the filth of the Warp from inciting civil unrest, I had to send dream-revelations to several key figures one by one. It's fortunate I brought you into the Throne Room earlier and gave you a proper identity; otherwise, those people wouldn't just be suspicious—they would have pulled out their trump cards and tried to take you down with them."
Seeing Adam's surprised expression, the Emperor shook his head. "Even if you don't track the politics, you should at least pay attention to your subordinates. Didn't Inquisitor Greyfax tell you? She and Commissar Yarrick formed a kill team days ago and have already fought several shadow wars within the Inquisition."
"...That's on me." Adam rubbed his chin. He had just been laughing at Ferrus Manus and his stubborn sons; he hadn't expected the tables to turn so quickly.
"But it couldn't be helped. The internal attrition of the Mechanicus was unbearable. I urgently need faith, and the Forge World of Mars was the easiest handle to grab."
"Still, is this enough to make you look this tired?" Adam looked at the Emperor with suspicion. Is he acting? He didn't view the Emperor through the thick filter that the Primarchs did.
"Of course it's not just that." The Emperor's expression turned solemn. "While observing the Eye of Terror, I noticed abnormal fluctuations in Warp energy. Those four sore losers behind the veil definitely have a new conspiracy."
"In the Great Game within the Warp, the infighting between the daemons of the Four Gods is gradually ceasing. They are beginning to unite, shifting the pressure onto me."
"It seems your burning of Nurgle's Garden was a bit too shocking for them."
A joint strangulation? Realizing this was significant news, Adam fell into thought. If the Ruinous Powers were actually cooperating, the situation was indeed problematic.
"In that case, I will provide several Level 3 reality-warpers—clones of myself—to join your Legion of the Damned. Our suppression in the Warp is not weak, and it should be enough to help you hold back the pressure from the Four. This will also help me harvest a large portion of daemon souls..."
As Adam spoke, he gave the Emperor a suspicious look. Is this guy acting exhausted just to get a free handout?
He pushed the thought aside. "I'll get to the main point. I want to explain an idea I have."
"Go on," the Emperor nodded.
"When we first met, you mentioned a 'connection between two worlds.' Does it still exist?" Adam asked.
"Of course..." The Emperor's eyes widened as he realized something. "Are you planning to leave this universe?"
"No. To be precise, not my main body," Adam explained. "I plan to send a reality-warped clone over. Essentially, another 'me' with identical personality, memories, and thought patterns. I will grant him Level 3 reality-warping abilities, which is enough for self-preservation in most reasonable Foundation-style settings."
"Even if his luck is terrible and he hits an extreme world, in most cases, only the clone would be affected. After a period of time, if things go well, the clone will return to this universe with his harvest."
"I call this the 'Traveling Frog' project. What do you think?"
This was Adam's actual plan.
"Are you sure this is feasible?" The Emperor hesitated. "Can you guarantee your clone will be obedient? Brainwashing?"
"Of course not. Why do you think I call this ability 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap'?" Adam's face was calm. "I have an absolutely correct self-perception, and this ability has saved my life countless times. If I were the clone, I would certainly accept the order and complete the mission perfectly."
"Besides, the souls, faith, and authority required for a Level 5 reality-warper are astronomical. I doubt that consuming all the external resources in this universe would be enough to make me a Level 5 being capable of defeating the Four Gods. Therefore, I need power from outside this universe."
"It is a gamble, yes, and there is risk. But the potential profit is immense. So, do you agree?"
The greatest gambler in human history stared at Adam for a moment. The Emperor nodded slowly. "I have no more questions."
It was a deal. No gambler loses every day, and no child cries forever.