novelraw Chapter 86: Artificial Souls - (13)
Chapter 86: Artificial Souls - (13)
Mount Trashmore consisted of heaps upon heaps of garbage—abandoned vehicles, rusty shipping containers, discarded construction equipment—all haphazardly piled together, teetering precariously.
It was a maze constructed from reused material, where people lived amidst rusted containers and makeshift tin houses. Some even fashioned crude shelters with plastic sheets and slept directly on the ground.
Kui Xin’s hand cannon was loaded with different types of ammunition. The first and second rounds were armor-piercing bullets, while the third round was an explosive bullet.
Due to Mount Trashmore’s harsh environment, most residents lived in cramped dwellings. If she used an explosive bullet recklessly, the ricocheting steel pellets could have hurt her. Only if the initial two armor-piercing bullets failed to neutralize the enemy would there be a need for the explosive bullet.
A single-hand cannon wasn’t enough; Kui Xin held a submachine gun in her other hand. Although it lacked the penetration power of the hand cannon, it excelled in its intense firepower.
Their adversaries were Variant Bloods, who typically possessed extraordinary regenerative abilities. Weapons with insufficient firepower simply couldn’t be suppressed effectively.
“There are a total of thirty-two residents within the sealed-off area,” Adam said. “Twenty-nine are adults, and three are children. The information has been marked; please proceed to the designated points for investigation.”
A miniature map appeared on the helmets’ visors, with all inhabited locations indicated by red dots.
Following Yu Liang and Kui Xin were several accompanying ordinary security officers, serving as mission support personnel.
Yu Liang instructed Kui Xin, “Stay behind me and watch what I do. Before approaching a house, scan first to ensure there are no alien creatures inside before entering. Your helmet visor has thermal imaging display capabilities; the body temperatures of alien creatures differ from those of humans. If you see any unusual colors, retreat immediately. Otherwise, proceed with opening the door. However, Variant Blood individuals appear largely indistinguishable from humans at the surface level, so their body temperature alone won’t suffice for identification. Tch, explaining it is too complicated; let me demonstrate instead. After opening the door, issue a warning first, and never lower your gun. Watch as I show you.”He approached a small shack made of corrugated iron sheets, kicked open the door, and bellowed, “Don’t move, hands up! Keep your hands where I can see them!”
Inside the iron-clad room, three individuals raised their hands, their faces deathly pale, not daring to make any sudden movements.
“Everyone, come out,” Yu Liang slowly said. “Step onto the open space outside.”
With their hands held high, the three civilians followed Yu Liang’s instructions and walked outside.
In the open area, several security officers also had their guns drawn. Any suspicious movement would cause them to unleash a barrage of gunfire.
Then Yu Liang stated, “Regardless of the method, whether by biting yourself or slamming your head against a wall, create a wound on yourselves. Make sure it’s sizable.”
Kui Xin observed this scene thoughtfully.
A common characteristic of Variant Blood users is their far superior healing ability compared to ordinary individuals; even immediately after consuming Divine Blood, its regenerative effects take place swiftly. The simplest method is to have someone make a cut on themselves and then judge whether they have consumed Divine Blood by observing the wound.
The three individuals under gunpoint promptly bit hard on their own arms, causing blood to seep out. Yu Liang instructed, “Clean the blood away so we can see the wounds.”
They hastily wiped the blood from their wounds with their clothing, displaying it to Yu Liang.
Yu Liang scrutinized the wounds for a few seconds before saying, “Alright, you three leave the containment area and wait outside.”
Immediately, the accompanying security officers pointed their guns at them, escorting the trio beyond the containment perimeter for unified supervision.
“Did you understand the procedure?” Yu Liang glanced at Kui Xin. “During searches, if you detect any abnormalities whatsoever, you have the authority to open fire.”
“I understood,” Kui Xin replied.
“That’s good enough. For the next house, you handle it while I observe.” Yu Liang nodded slightly.
Kui Xin silently stepped forward, approaching the next house marked with a red dot on the map. With a cold kick, she burst through the door and commanded in an icy tone, “Hands up high!”
Behind the door was a child, covered in dirt on her face and body. Her long hair was matted together; she appeared to be a girl, seemingly only around two or three years old. Startled by Kui Xin’s sudden intrusion, the child stood frozen in place without moving, while her parents hastily raised their hands high.
Seeing their daughter’s lack of response, the mother urgently called out, “Niu Niu, raise your hands! Lift both your hands!”
The father, with sweat covering his forehead, echoed, “Raise your hands! Quickly, raise them!”
Only then did the little girl, named Niu Niu, hesitantly lift her arms. At this young age, children often do not yet understand fear nor comprehend Kui Xin’s role; instead, they tend to be quite curious.
Kui Xin, clad in her dark combat suit, appeared at the doorway. As the girl raised her hands, she tilted her head back and said, “Sister, you’re so fierce and scary.”
Kui Xin momentarily froze.
The child’s parents broke out in a cold sweat, watching Kui Xin with apprehension.
Showing no reaction, Kui Xin stepped back and coolly instructed, “Walk outside, but do not lower your hands.”
Once the family reached the more spacious outdoor area, Kui Xin stated, “Inflict a wound on yourself, one that will draw blood.”
The parents, fearing any disagreement, hastily complied.
Kui Xin slightly shifted her gaze. “Does the child need to do it as well, Captain Yu?”
“No need.” Yu Liang frowned. “Why are you looking at me? Do I appear like some lunatic who harms children? I can clearly distinguish between those who deserve death and those who don’t, alright?”
Kui Xin turned to stare at the family of three. “Follow the escort personnel outside the containment perimeter.”
After the family left, Yu Liang explained, “Children under twelve cannot withstand Divine Blood; they would die instantly upon exposure. Therefore, that child couldn’t possibly be a Variant Blood carrier. This is the main reason why I didn’t have her undergo testing.”
“Have such cases occurred before?” Kui Xin picked up on the unspoken implication in his words.
“Yes, there have been multiple instances. Some deranged cultists would administer Divine Blood to their own children,” Yu Liang said. “These horrifying incidents keep happening. Approximately five years ago, a member of the secret cult disguised Divine Blood as a new type of drug and sold it on the black market. Many unsuspecting individuals unknowingly consumed the Divine Blood. It was practically a disaster. We spent half a year frantically capturing Variant Blood carriers and tracing distribution channels, but ultimately, the results were minimal. Numerous Variant Blood carriers were eliminated, yet we failed to uncover the supply chain.”
“I had no idea such things occurred,” Kui Xin said. “Only a madman could do something like that.”
“Never show mercy to your enemies; if they are ruthless, you must be even more so,” Yu Liang stated. “Do you know why we’re conducting house-to-house inspections instead of gathering everyone together?”
Kui Xin replied, “Is it because Variant Blood users might take ordinary people hostage? I can guess that much; gatherings of people tend to easily lead to chaos.”
“That’s exactly right.” Yu Liang gave her a thumbs-up. “House-to-house inspections may be less efficient, but you already know the specific procedures and methods. Let’s split into two teams—you’ll handle the eastern side, and I’ll take care of the western side.”
“Is that okay?” Kui Xin asked uncertainly. “Aren’t I still considered a newcomer under your guidance?”
“You’re not a toddler just learning to walk, needing me to supervise every step. At least you’re an awakened being,” Yu Liang shrugged. “I’ve explained the procedures to you, haven’t I? If you encounter anything suspicious, open fire; for those who seem normal, have them undergo the wound test. It’s such a straightforward task—there’s no need for me to accompany you as a safeguard, is there?”
Kui Xin was momentarily speechless before conceding, “… Alright.”
Yu Liang selected three security officers. “You, and you two, accompany Kui Xin. The remaining pair, come with me.”
Kui Xin realized that this practical training session was only foundational; they wouldn’t immediately face combat. The mission’s difficulty lies in the investigation itself. The Variant Blood individual was hiding, specifically within the slums, which suggested their combat capability might not be very high and their overall condition could be poor. If they possessed strong fighting abilities, there would be no need to hide.
“How many individuals have yet to be investigated?” Kui Xin asked.
“Altogether, there were thirty-two people. Six have already been checked, leaving twenty-six remaining,” Adam replied. “Your search area has been delineated; please proceed.”
The subsequent tasks indeed lacked significant technical complexity. Mechanically, Kui Xin kicked open doors, aimed her weapon, and called out individuals for wound testing outside.
As she repeated these actions, she suddenly felt as if she had returned to The Kraken. Back then, she, along with the Seventh Squad and Mechanical Dawn Squad, performed similar operations—kicking down doors, conducting searches, kicking more doors, and conducting further inspections.
Similar tasks, yet different states of mind. On the Kraken, Kui Xin had been extremely tense, her spirit in a state of heightened arousal. Now, her heartbeat was steady, her gaze calm, and her hands holding the gun were remarkably stable. Fully focused, she remained unaffected by external distractions or her own negative emotions.
Kui Xin had become a true warrior.
One by one, the houses on the eastern side were inspected, and civilians were progressively escorted outside the cordoned area.
Throughout this process, Kui Xin never encountered any Variant Blood individuals.
Shortly thereafter, she received Yu Liang’s communication.
“I’ve finished my inspection here; no suspicious subjects were found,” Yu Liang said. “How about your side?”
“Only one last residence left to check.” Kui Xin gazed at the nearby door and whispered, “It might be that house…”
With those words, Kui Xin raised her gun, kicked open the door, and shouted, according to protocol, “Hands up! Don’t move!”
Inside the room lived a mother and daughter. The mother lifted her hands while her daughter clung tightly around her waist, fear evident in her dark eyes.
The girl appeared to be around seven or eight years old, at an age where she understood most things.
“Leave the room and inflict a wound on yourself,” Kui Xin pointed at the woman, instructing, “Have your daughter let go of you; don’t hinder us.”
The woman swiftly glanced at Kui Xin, then gently reassured the little girl. Slowly, the child released her grip around her mother’s waist and raised her hands as well.
Together, the mother and daughter exited the room. The woman bit herself on the arm, drawing blood, and the wound did not heal immediately.
Kui Xin frowned and whispered into her communicator, “Captain Yu, we’ve finished examining the last two individuals—a child and an adult. They’re not Variant Bloods.”
“You’ve checked both already?” Yu Liang replied, puzzled. “Impossible! Our informant clearly indicated…”
“Could they have already fled?”
“Unless that Variant Blood can burrow underground, there are no sewers in the garbage heap. We’ve scanned everywhere; there are only those few people present.”
Kui Xin pondered for a moment before looking at the child beside the woman. “How old are you?”
The little girl looked up timidly at Kui Xin and replied, “Seven years old.”
Because she was under twelve years old, there was no need for a wound test… That’s what Kui Xin should have concluded, but suddenly, her “Absolute Prediction” ability activated. Her temples throbbed, and an eerie sense of foreboding spread within her heart.
Kui Xin lowered her gaze, focusing on the little girl, and slowly directed the gun downward. Just as she was about to order the girl to undergo an additional wound examination, the child suddenly spoke up.
With a pitiful look, she turned to Kui Xin and said, “My mom and I haven’t done anything wrong; we’re not bad people either. Sister, I’m so scared! Why are you treating us like this? We really haven’t done anything wrong.”
The little girl’s clear and innocent words held a peculiar enchantment, striking deeply into Kui Xin’s heart.
Something within her stirred, taking her aback. A surge of intense compassion and guilt welled up inside her. Her expression softened, and her tone became gentler.
“The suspect has likely escaped… Escort this mother and daughter outside the containment perimeter for temporary custody,” Kui Xin told the three security officers behind her. “I’ll stay here and search again.”
As two security officers escorted the mother-daughter pair away, gradually distancing them, Kui Xin watched their figures disappear around a corner.
However, at that moment, Adam’s voice came through her earpiece.
“I didn’t realize you were someone with such overwhelming sympathy, Kui Xin,” Adam remarked subtly. “Perhaps I shouldn’t view you through stereotypes—your heart is still quite tender?”
Kui Xin froze, her entire body seeming struck by lightning as she stood rooted to the spot, unable to recover for a long moment.
After a couple of seconds, Kui Xin slapped her helmet, cursing, “Damn it! Since when have I been so overly sympathetic?”
The emergence of these emotions was abnormal. She had never been a sentimental person, so how could she succumb to emotional feelings? Just now, she even felt unlike herself.
Shaking off the inexplicably arising compassion and guilt, Kui Xin’s muddled mind became clear, shedding the weak sentiments.
There was still one security officer accompanying her. With hand gestures, she signaled him to follow, then drew her weapon and pursued them. Simultaneously, she swiftly spoke into the communications channel, “Captain Yu! The suspect is a little girl who appears to be around seven or eight years old! That little girl may possess psychic control-type superhuman abilities; I nearly fell victim to it! Adam, notify all security officers immediately; everyone must stay vigilant!”
“Fuck! A little girl?! This doesn’t make sense!” exclaimed Yu Liang.
“Already notified,” Adam replied matter-of-factly to Kui Xin before continuing, “Hmm, it seems my impression of you doesn’t need updating after all. It’s quite intriguing, isn’t it? The child’s appearance made you lower your guard, committing the error of relying too much on past experiences. Based on her initial assessment, she appears to possess spiritual-type superhuman abilities, so I’ll tentatively assume she lacks other capabilities to disguise her appearance. That girl just now may not be a child; she may be a dwarf. And the woman beside her is likely not her mother but rather a puppet under her control or perhaps an accomplice.”
Kui Xin arrived at the same conclusion.
“I was careless!” she thought.
As she sprinted swiftly, she heard gunshots nearby—one shot followed by another!
“One security officer has died, and the remaining one is injured but still alive.” Just as Adam said this, another gunshot rang out. He paused momentarily before continuing, “Now the last one is dead as well. This Variant Blood possesses exceptional skills and remarkable marksmanship. It’s a rare exception—a Variant Blood who, aside from Flesh Regeneration, also has additional superhuman abilities.”
Indeed, it was an exception.
Kui Xin knew that Fang Zhi possessed the Death Cycle, but during their initial training led by Shu Xuyao, he had clearly stated that, based on current records, Variant Blood only enhanced recovery and physical attributes without developing various superhuman abilities like awakened beings.
This indicated that Variant Blood individuals with such extraordinary abilities were extremely rare, and the Investigation Department had never captured any of them. Wait, no, is it possible they did capture some but just didn’t disclose this information to the lower-level security officers?
Leaving her teammates behind, Kui Xin took the quickest shortcut at top speed. She leaped onto the garbage heap, vaulting over obstacles as if parkouring, and arrived at the incident scene in less than half a minute.
Pools of blood lay on the muddy ground. Two security officers were sprawled on the floor, their weapons missing, and the “little girl” suspected of having Variant Blood was nowhere in sight. The mother of the “little girl” was huddled in a corner, trembling uncontrollably and muttering nervously, displaying signs of mental distress.
The maze-like garbage heap provided ample hiding spots, with blind corners everywhere.
Kui Xin swiftly scanned the surroundings. “Adam, scan.”
“The distance exceeds ten meters, and my available equipment is limited; I am unable to perform the scan,” Adam said.
“Damn it!” Kui Xin cursed.
At that precise moment, a gun barrel from the shadows took aim at Kui Xin.
“Bang!” The bullet was fired.
With her exceptional reflexes, Kui Xin evaded the bullet. It grazed past her helmet, causing sparks to fly as the impact momentarily tilted her head.
The security officers’ helmets and combat suits were bulletproof, but the helmets weren’t fully enclosed. Aiming for the exposed face could strike a fatal blow, leading to instant death.
Thanks to this shot, Kui Xin pinpointed the shooter’s position. She swiftly rolled behind cover and released the safety catch on her hand cannon.
Armor-piercing bullets can even penetrate sturdy concrete walls, so drilling through a garbage heap should be no challenge.
Kui Xin composed herself for a few seconds, then crouched and burst out from cover, using her own body as bait to provoke the enemy into firing. As soon as she emerged, the vigilant enemy indeed opened fire again!
The gunshot thundered, but Kui Xin dodged the bullet while precisely locking onto the shooter’s location.
Without hesitation, she raised her hand cannon, aimed in that direction, and pulled the trigger.
“Boom—”
The sound of the hand cannon differed significantly from that of a regular pistol; it was deeper and more intimidating.
The armor-piercing bullet effortlessly punched through the garbage cover and penetrated the enemy’s body.
“Ah!” The enemy let out a wretched scream. Seizing this opportunity, Kui Xin swiftly advanced and darted into the hiding spot of her adversary.
The enemy collapsed to the ground, howling with a large hole torn in their abdomen.
Adam tried to intervene. “Wait, Kui…”
Kui Xin turned a deaf ear to him, expressionlessly gazing at the enemy without wasting any armor-piercing bullets. Instead, she raised her submachine gun and pulled the trigger. Flames erupted as bullets poured forth, turning the person into minced meat within less than three seconds.
“… Kui Xin,” Adam completed his statement, “Variants who have awakened superhuman abilities are rare samples, possessing significant research value.”
Kui Xin collected herself and asked, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“You opened fire before I could finish speaking,” Adam said.
“The research would be conducted by the Investigation Department anyway; it doesn’t matter,” Kui Xin dismissed further thought.
“As soon as you take up your gun, it’s difficult for you to control yourself, not stopping until your opponent is dead,” Adam observed.
Kui Xin’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
During his prolonged observation, Adam had noticed this trait. Even before Kui Xin herself realized she was experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder, he had detected it ahead of her.
Indeed, that “little girl” was a Variant Blood. Her body dissolved into a pool of blood, which only occurs after the death of a Variant Blood with highly metabolized Divine Blood.
Yu Liang bellowed through the communications channel, “Kui Xin, what’s the situation?”
“Two teammates died, and I killed the Variant Blood,” Kui Xin said.
Before her eyes, the game interface flashed.
“You’ve killed an unnamed Variant Blood.”
“You have deprived an unnamed Variant Blood of their superhuman ability.”
When Kui Xin killed Ball Python, its alias immediately appeared on the game interface. She didn’t know the name of the Variant Blood she had slain, so the game interface did not display the deceased’s identity. This was an intriguing detail.
“You have obtained the superhuman ability [Deception D-Rank].”
“[Deception D-Rank]: You have a certain probability of making the other party unconditionally believe your lies within a limited time frame, influenced by your emotional cues. The effectiveness of Deception is random, with duration affected by factors such as the target’s willpower and the credibility of the lie.”