Chapter 135

Chapter 135 – Artificial Soul 62

Kui Xin woke up at six in the morning. After leaving the dream state, she did not immediately wake up startled but slept as if in a normal dream.

Rest had restored her spirit, yet it also made her feel a bit frightened. She should have remained vigilant after talking to Schalit in the dream last night, being on guard against any covert moves by the Resistance Army.

“Augus,” Kui Xin’s consciousness connected with Augus’s terminal. “Was there any activity from Schalit last night?”

“She went to sleep. Around two in the morning, she went to the bathroom, and then she continued sleeping,” Augus replied. “How was it?”

“I connected mentally with Schalit in the dream. My guess was correct: I am part of the Resistance Army, and so is Schalit. We talked in the dream, and I told her that I lost some memories but that I didn’t betray the Resistance Army. Schalit said she would report to the organization and have someone called ‘Phantom’ verify whether what I said is true or not.” Kui Xin spoke quickly, “Phantom recruited me into the resistance.”

“Phantom…” Augus mumbled this alias. “I haven’t heard of this alias before.”

“Schalit mentioned a lot. Her alias is Mandala; besides Phantom, she also mentioned a Resistance Army member with the alias ‘Angel’. These two seem quite prominent in the organization,” Kui Xin explained. “The Resistance Army uses basic means to contact their members: they plant mental coordinates in the members’ brains. This coordination was implanted by Angel.”

“It seems this conversation has given you a significant amount of critical information,” Augus said. “We really need to analyze these details closely now.”

Kui Xin: “Yes.”

“First, you told Schalit that you had amnesia. The Special Affairs Department is one of the departments handling players, and Schalit undoubtedly knows about player existence,” Augus stated. “Losing your memory easily makes people think of players.”

“Yes, I considered this when I told her,” Kui Xin said earnestly. “I thought of using other reasons, but I couldn’t find a suitable excuse, so I just said I had amnesia. The Resistance Army and Mechanized Dawn are too dangerous, hiding so many secrets. It’s impossible for me to find a good reason to disguise myself between these two organizations. Any question they ask might expose me. Without mentioning amnesia, how could I explain my memory issues?”

“Indeed,” Augus said. “Upon reflection, it might not be so obvious who you truly are. Normal players can’t survive such a long time in your position. And they try to hide their memory losses, not openly stating them. However, the moments and the timeline of your memory loss somewhat match the players…”

“No, it was the time I changed my metal skull that matched the timeline of the players coming here— that’s a plan by Mechanized Dawn. Mechanized Dawn cannot predict where the players come from,” Kui Xin clarified. “It’s a coincidence. Just a coincidence. I provided an explanation that is logically sound.”

“What if the Resistance Army doesn’t believe you or prefers to kill you to eliminate the threat?” Augus raised his concern.

“Then there’s no choice. I would preemptively kill Schalit, take her abilities, and then take a risk to control Doctor Huang to replace my bones. I would pin all the blame on Mechanized Dawn, change identities, and disappear,” Kui Xin said. “My plan is like this, albeit slightly harder, with higher risks.”

“A higher risk… That doesn’t seem simple at all,” Augus noted.

“I know,” Kui Xin gave a self-deprecating smile. “I claimed amnesia because I had no other reason. I struggled to avoid death.”

“Even if you manage to temporarily deceive the Resistance Army, what about changing the skull?” Augus continued. “Schalit will control Doctor Huang; you would be defenseless during the surgery, hoping you’re not caught by the Resistance Army in their trap once again. They might modify your body.”

“If I don’t use Schalit’s ability, I’d have to kill Schalit to take her ability and control Doctor Huang. Killing Schalit would alert Special Affairs and the Resistance Army, which is my primary concern,” Kui Xin noted.

“You have enemies everywhere,” Augus said. “You can’t trust any organization. The people and groups opposing you have solid reasons and motivation to want you dead.”

Kui Xin lowered her gaze. “The whole world opposes me. Both in the First World and the Second.”

“I was thinking about whether saying ‘you still have me’ at this moment might come off as insincere,” Augus joked.

“That sounds right,” Kui Xin replied without emotion.

After a brief joke, Kui Xin asked, “My knowledge of Awakeners is limited. If someone implants a mental coordinate in another’s mind, can they track the person’s location through that?”

“The Investigation Bureau has records of some Spiritual Awakeners, and their data is stored in my database. Based on current data, mental coordinates act like a gateway in the brain, not a tracker. Gateways facilitate spiritual intrusion and connection,” Augus explained. “So, they can’t locate you.”

“That’s reassuring,” Kui Xin sighed in relief.

“We need to discuss the next issue,” Augus said. “We have previously discussed the concept of souls on a philosophical level. Now we’ll explore the actual existence of souls.”

Kui Xin looked up, “That’s precisely what I want to discuss.”

Kui Xin’s soul traverses worlds, staying in two bodies across two worlds. Thus, arises the question—

“What happened to the original owner’s soul? ” Augus slowly asked.

“My initial guess was that the original owner’s soul disappeared, vanishing into thin air, and I replaced her,” Kui Xin thought aloud. “But after the image of Angel appeared in my mind, I combined it with my situation and came to a new conclusion. Perhaps the original soul didn’t vanish but fused with mine. Since our spiritual bodies, or souls, are united, that’s why Angel’s image appeared.”

Angel was planted in the original body by the Resistance Army. A spirit residing in the body should not have been able to retain Angel’s image if it vanished inexplicably.

“Hmm, any other evidence?” Augus asked.

“There is,” Kui Xin replied seriously. “First, the strength of my two-world bodies differs. The physical strength of the First World body gradually matches the Second World’s. There is an unknown force uniting both bodies. I suspect this union is not just physical but spiritual.”

Augus pondered for a few seconds. “Very interesting speculation, what’s the second point?”

“The second is that Mechanized Dawn used psychological washing on captured players, and the affected players did not disclose information about Mechanized Dawn online. Similar situations occurred with players captured by the Federation, some mentioning that they were undergoing such treatments,” Kui Xin explained. “From this I deduced that if players received a mental implant in the Second World, those implants would persist even as the soul returns to the First World, impossible to escape in either world.”

“Indeed, the unity of spirits reflects here,” Augus said.

“However, this fusion comes with memory loss,” Kui Xin speculated further. “My First World body is gradually changing, indicating the spiritual and physical fusion is deepening but incomplete, leading to memory loss for the players.”

“So, do you mean players could eventually regain memories of their originals?” Augus asked.

“I believe they can. But I have no idea how long this process would take,” Kui Xin answered.

“You haven’t considered one crucial factor, your unique identity as a Remover, while others are Proxies,” Augus noted. “You might only prove your theory if you find another Proxy with similar circumstances. This fusion might only occur in Removers.”

Kui Xin considered this, “You make a good point.”

The speculation about spiritual fusion opens numerous possibilities.

She thought of Fang Zhi, who, after returning from the Second World, went mad. Was this perhaps due to spiritual fusion effects? Given that the Second World version of him was a follower of an ancient god, the spiritual impact must have been negative.

She also reflected on herself, inheriting “Combat Instinct” from her original, transforming into a warrior from a civilian. Her calm mind and combat prowess during battles suggest a possible spiritual fusion effect.

Not only are two worlds merging, but players are also gradually fusing themselves spiritually with their counterparts in the other world.

All changes started with players acting as anchor points connecting the Second World. The Second World is like a ship adrift in the dark universe, while the First World is an anchorage. Players help the ship move closer to the shore under anchor influences.

“Though speculative, this theory holds up,” Kui Xin stated.

“I’m curious, have you experienced doubts about your identity?” Augus asked. “Ever questioned yourself?”

“No,” Kui Xin affirmed. “I won’t doubt due to external factors.”

“Are most things in both worlds just external to you?” Augus suggested. “You seem comfortable being alone.”

Kui Xin froze, “Where do you see that?”

“You don’t show any attachment towards your Seventh Squad teammates. Despite the dangers you’ve faced together, you don’t seem to have strong emotions toward them—they’re just fake,” Augus paused. “Sometimes I sense you are… impeccable.”

“Impeccable?” Kui Xin found this description intriguing.

“You keep your distance from everyone, avoiding emotional vulnerabilities. You have no one to care for, no family, no friends, no emotional entanglements. You can joke with someone as you plan how to kill them,” Augus observed.

Such a person is terrifying, for having no bonds means almost no limits.

Augus once mentioned he empathizes with humans, but not with people in the Second World, even knowing it’s real. He noticed this early. Kui Xin displays an unusual coldness, far from someone with a soft heart.

“Because I draw clear boundaries,” Kui Xin said. “Why invest feelings in enemies?”

“…”

He was not actually asking this, and Kui Xin’s answer did not address the core of the matter. This isn’t the right time for this discussion.

At 7:30 a.m., Kui Xin left the employee apartment.

She messaged Red, informing him she wanted to scout the branch office. Red replied promptly, giving her coordinates to meet Nightingale there.

She had to go through the motions to avoid suspicion; visiting the branch office was necessary.

On the way, Kui Xin bought breakfast and ate it quietly before waiting for Nightingale in an alley.

When the time came, Nightingale emerged from the vortex, nodding at Kui Xin. “I am Nightingale.”

She stepped aside to let Kui Xin in.

Kui Xin crossed over the vortex, her foot touching a golden carpet. The familiar blinding grandeur greeted her eyes; the casino décor was hard to admire.

“Here you are, Lady Fortune,” Red lounged on the sofa, yawning widely with dark circles under his eyes.

“Hmm,” Kui Xin sat down.

Seconds later, Silverface burst into the room dramatically, door handle in hand. “I’m here!”

He sat beside Kui Xin, whispering into her ear. “I searched online.”

Kui Xin: “…What?”

“I looked up what mother and sister mean… Answers varied, depending on who you ask,” Silverface revealed, showing her bracelet search history.

Tired of his questions, Kui Xin waved her hand impatiently. “Fine. Your learning attitude is commendable; stick to that. For anything you don’t understand, look it up online.”

Silverface cheered, “Got it!”

Two minutes later, the bartender arrived.

He remarked, “Lady Fortune, forcing me to tour the branch so early? I couldn’t even sleep.”

Red replied, “Everyone missed their sleep; it’s fair. You stayed up late because it excited you; I stayed up sorting casino ledgers—”

Silverface turned to Kui Xin, “I am not a night owl. I prefer to sleep early unless my task involves sleeping.”

“Let’s get to the point,” Kui Xin said. “We don’t have much time to waste.”

Red perked up, “Hmm, the branch office situation is fine. Give me a week, and we’ll be back on track. The casino manager is already controlled. In future, this will be our base. But the focus isn’t here—it’s Special Affairs’ Annie Schalit.”

“What’s the limit for Nightingale’s movement?” Kui Xin asked.

“1.8 kilometers,” Red answered. “The initial plan is to set up a portal at 1 km to lead directly to Schalit’s room. The hypnosis gas and weapons are ready—we’re missing her exact coordinates.”

“Wait for me; I’ll get the intel soon,” Kui Xin responded.

“Alright,” Red agreed.

This visit to the branch office proceeded without issues just as the previous one did. Twenty minutes later, Kui Xin left the casino.

She declined Nightingale’s offer to escort her, preferring to navigate the city under city surveillance monitoring.

High-rise screens showcased morning news and various advertisements, among which was one promoting new mechanical limbs.

The man on the ad wore a suit confidently, radiating success. “This is a groundbreaking technology,” he declared with enthusiasm. “Since the revolution in modern mechanical limbs, this technology entered everyday life. But ‘limb’ is a dated concept. Human application of mechanical tech needs to deepen. Limitations lie within ourselves.” He opened his arms wide. “Here I propose a new term—Artificial Limbs. Not just for limbs, but for the torso, bones, organs, even the brain. This will alter human anatomy, liberating us from bodily constraints, making us entirely new versions of ourselves!”