As twenty regiments of soldiers returned to the orbital dock for rest, Qin Mo was busy preparing for the campaign against Tairon III. His preparations were simple—he needed to consult a fragment of an ancient Star God to inquire about the current situation on the planet.
Although Qin Mo didn't fully trust the Star God known as Mimicry, it had proven that its prophecies were true and clearly desired aid from another Star God.
That night, Qin Mo actively sought out Mimicry, entering the illusion it created. The setting was once again a luxurious room, but the ever-shifting Mimicry was nowhere to be found. It was an unusual situation. Although constantly changing, Mimicry always allowed itself to be found if it desired to meet.
"Shh!" A face suddenly appeared on the large bed, pursing its lips to hush him. It whispered, "The Night Embracer is here. Don't let it find us. Quick, hide!"
"What the… seriously?" Qin Mo hastily ducked under the bed, warily scanning his surroundings. The Night Embracer was an immensely powerful Star God, shattered into fragments but still dangerous. If a fragment had indeed arrived, it could spell trouble.
"My brother," Mimicry's voice came softly. "Why did you aid the Fearmongers in forging weapons? Didn't we agree to leave for the intergalactic systems after the War of Paradise?"
"Huh?" Qin Mo crawled out from under the bed, baffled.
"We were going to create a paradise for us weaker C'tan—a realm where every star system would be a canvas for the Star Gods, and every planet, the material for their forges. I would take on countless forms to inspire them... That's why we refused to fight alongside you, Deceiver."
Mimicry rambled on, shifting from a glowing orb to a celestial illusion, lost in its past memories, its ever-changing form betraying its obsession with illusions. Qin Mo felt an overwhelming urge to strike Mimicry with lightning—and so he did.
Hit by the surge of electricity, Mimicry reverted to a glowing orb, shaken free from its nostalgic trance. "Thank you," it murmured.
"What happened to you?" Qin Mo asked.
"Nothing," Mimicry replied, spinning slightly before continuing, "Why have you come to me?"
Qin Mo made his request clear: "Show me the current state of the third planet in the Tairon system."
Mimicry complied without hesitation. As before, the entire planet appeared before Qin Mo's eyes. He scrutinized it closely—nothing had improved. The Orks, unchecked, had multiplied, their activities concentrated underground. The planet seemed to be a mining world, with cities carved deep beneath the surface. Meanwhile, those corrupted by Slaanesh's influence had descended into even more depraved acts, leaving Qin Mo disgusted, his mind reeling from the chaotic displays of self-indulgence—whether through battle, art, or extreme physical transformations.
In stark contrast, the surface of the planet remained eerily peaceful, especially at the poles, where few dared to venture.
"I see…" Mimicry began to prophesy, "I see you waging a victorious battle, claiming the entire system for yourself."
"Good prophecy," Qin Mo chuckled, "but I hope you're not just buttering me up to get yourself out of here."
Mimicry remained silent, still in its orb form, but Qin Mo could sense its discontent. After a long pause, it spoke again, this time slowly, almost wistfully: "Do you really think I expect you to someday come here, defeat the Fearmongers and their war machines, breach the hypercube labyrinth, and free me?"
"I want to help you!"
"We used to cower in a corner of the galaxy, trembling before our mighty kin. Now they are shattered, yet you remain whole. You no longer need to fear, but you've fused with a human. You can't even summon dimensional lightning anymore."
"I know it's your human mind speaking to me now, but I still sense something familiar within you, and because of that…"
Hearing this, Qin Mo thought that while his suspicions and caution towards Mimicry had been justified, there was no need to let them show.
"Thank you," Qin Mo said.
"No need for thanks," Mimicry replied, "Just don't shatter me any further next time we meet." With that, the meeting within the illusion ended, and Qin Mo was cast out, his mind returning to his body in reality.
With the necessary information gathered, it was time to act. Qin Mo issued a series of commands. Large quantities of supplies were teleported to Tairon II, where troops not slated for the Tairon III campaign would continue their assault on the planet under the leadership of the Imperial Guard, ensuring full control.
The fleet and orbital dock would relocate to Tairon III's orbit within a day. Once the ground forces landed at the poles, logistical machinery would be deployed, and everyone would focus on protecting the construction of key facilities.
After setting these orders in motion, Qin Mo powered the teleportation device, making a single, long-distance jump—from Tairon II's orbit to the lower hive of Tairon I.
...
The 47th Regiment had previously garrisoned the fortress. As Qin Mo walked down the corridor towards his research lab, located deep within an underground cavern, he noted the absence of soldiers—the regiment had been redeployed to the battlefield.
Reaching the southern wall of the cavern, Qin Mo manipulated the physical properties of the barrier, walking right through it. Inside was a hidden chamber lined with smooth metal panels, spanning over 2,000 square meters. At its center sat a chair and a massive black box.
Qin Mo approached the box, entering a code. The box opened, and a smooth black sphere rose from within. It expanded, stretching out until it nearly filled the entire room.
"What a masterpiece!" Qin Mo marveled at his creation.
This was the weapon he had begun developing long ago, designed to annihilate Tairon III. Though it had been completed for some time, he had yet to deploy it.
Qin Mo had given this perfect creation a name:
The Supra-dimensional Firmament.