Chapter 38: Soul Hunters

Chapter 38: Soul Hunters

While replicating the parasitic-host capsule, I found something I hadn’t expected.

It was the receiver—the mechanism through which a parasitic host received a Soul Hunter. It was also the foundation module. Soul Hunters used this to teleport their consciousness directly into a parasitic host’s brain.

It might also be a controller. I didn’t yet know whether it was a universal model or purpose-built for a specific host. If purpose-built, it wouldn’t be much use to me.

That explained why Zhu Zhaojie had stopped being controlled the moment the Wisdom Capsule was removed.

Then a thought landed cold in my chest: I had copied this structure. Could a Soul Hunter use its consciousness to possess and seize control of my brain?

I shivered before I could stop myself.

Gu Kunling noticed and asked what was wrong. I told her exactly what I’d felt.

She thought it over. “It shouldn’t be that easy. Zhu Zhaojie was one of the Sweepers’ people—under dual control. Meaning the Sweepers’ software was completely open to elite people. You’re different. You replicated the function. Your brain should have authority over this structure, which means you can shut it off whenever you want.”

“That’s true,” I said. “It’s part of me now. My consciousness has full control over whether it’s on or off.”

“Good. After you leave, don’t activate it—not yet. In time, you can try switching it on carefully and see what happens. If anything feels wrong, shut it down immediately. This might be another way to detect and deal with Soul Hunters.”

I nodded.

She was right. As long as I controlled the switch, there was nothing to fear.

Then I thought of the green jade token, and I wondered whether Gu Kunling might let me have it.

“Sister Kunling,” I said, “what use is that green jade token to you?”

Gu Kunling reached inside her jacket and brought it out. It was identical to mine.

She smiled. “I knew you had your eye on it. Take it. The resistance used our token for identity verification. On its own it has no other effect—but I’ve heard that joining multiple tokens together produces something extraordinary. This one, once joined with another, is said to open a path to the Elite World. Don’t try it now, whatever you do. With your current abilities, going there would be a death sentence.”

I took the token. “If I take it, what will you do when you need it?”

“We used to rely on it to verify each other’s identities. But after all these years, we know each other too well for that. We have other ways now.”

I turned the token over in my hands. “Sister Kunling—I have a feeling there should be six of these tokens in total, arranged to form a circle. And each joining has its own effect. So what would happen if all six were joined?”

Gu Kunling looked at me. “Now you’re asking something even I don’t know. I haven’t even seen two tokens joined. Six would be extraordinarily difficult to bring together. But if it were ever done—” she paused— “I think something miraculous would happen.”

By the time I left the office, the sky had nearly darkened.

On my way home, I sensed someone following me. I couldn’t see who.

I ducked into a public restroom by the roadside, went in as though using it, and immediately activated the invisibility membrane.

This was the first time I’d used it. I was more nervous than I’d expected.

Walking out, I nearly collided with someone coming in from the other direction. I twisted out of the way just in time.

I took up a position outside a small food stall at the street corner and watched. I needed to know who was following me.

The street was busy. No one stood out.

I didn’t dare use same-frequency sensing—if it triggered co-frequency oscillation, things could get complicated fast.

While I was still weighing my options, a mist-shaped figure slipped past me.

An invisible person.

Almost certainly a Soul Hunter. The Sweepers had no invisibility membrane. Gu Kunling had said theirs was reverse-engineered from the elite…