The metal bullet shot through the air, parting Chu Zu’s black hair. The heat from the barrel brushed against the side of his face.

Hank collapsed with a heavy thud. Blood sprayed from his exploded head, sizzling as it made contact with the exposed, severed circuits within.

Fine red speckles dotted Chu Zu’s white shirt.

Firearm silencers in this era were the pinnacle of perfection. Everything happened soundlessly. A pool of blood gradually gathered around the man on the floor.

Dai Xi’an was forced to soak in it. She thought Chu Zu was doomed, and she would be next, but she had still underestimated Luciano’s talent for torturing minds.

With a corpse rotting beside her, she was on the verge of breaking down, finally screaming out.

A subordinate nearby, suppressing his own horror, immediately stepped forward and covered her mouth.

“Jeeves.”

“Yes. Hank handed your schedule for this week to the Mitoli remnants. I investigated his file; it shows signs of being overwritten. Based on action analysis over the past three years, he has been confirmed as a traitor.”

“And Chu Zu?”

“Chu Zu’s file has been modified by you three times. Based on action analysis over the past thirteen years, there is one instance of anomalous behavior. Chu Zu met with Tang Qi today. There was a wide-area jammer around the meeting facility; the content of their interaction could not be ascertained. Cannot determine if betrayal occurred.”

“Would you lie to me?” Luciano still held the gun.

“No.” Chu Zu’s reply was crisp.

“Why did you go find Tang Qi?”

“I didn’t seek him out. He found me.”

Luciano snorted derisively: “What did he want?”

Chu Zu’s emotional stability was terrifying. His voice was calmer than Jeeves’s, carrying an inhuman detachment: “He said he and I are the same. Said I was forced to become your blade, while he chose to become their weapon.”

Luciano concealed all expression, becoming icy and unapproachable. His usually inscrutable temper was displayed clearly and unmistakably for the first time.

“How did you answer?”

“I said, ‘Not forced.'”

Luciano’s gaze remained locked firmly on Chu Zu’s face.

He had his theories. Tang Qi’s personality was well-known throughout the upper districts.

A hypocritical fool who, despite holding the power of life and death, still “persuaded people to be good.” The number of upper-district people who died by his hand was not small, a saint who, after killing, put on a pained expression.

According to Dai Xi’an’s “rumor,” Chu Zu had let Tang Qi go, and he himself would severely punish Chu Zu. It wasn’t strange that Tang Qi would try to persuade Chu Zu, and Luciano wouldn’t be angry because of that.

But he shouldn’t have used that disgusting wording.

Who was the same as whom?

“You knew I wanted the password, but you didn’t bring him back.”

“I could have killed him, but I couldn’t take him. Severe regional interference; couldn’t determine if there were traps. After comprehensive consideration, I left.”

“So you let him go again.”

“First time.”

“Then there will be a second time.” Luciano laughed instead of getting angry. “Chu Zu, don’t you think this counts as betrayal?”

Chu Zu was silent for a moment. His eyes, shrouded in mist, were as still and unrippled as a dead pond.

Luciano guessed he was thinking, not thinking about his wording, but genuinely considering whether this counted as betrayal.

And when he couldn’t conclude

“I will give you more until you find it worthwhile. That was our agreement.”

He would make a promise.

Under that gaze diffused with red mist, Luciano’s mood gradually calmed.

He tossed the gun casually to Chu Zu.

“None of this matters.” He suddenly became gentlemanly, gentle, and polite. “We’ve known each other since childhood, had conflicts too, but in the end, we reached a consensus. Remember? Back in school, I told you to kill that Mitoli boy. You refused at first.”

Chu Zu deftly disassembled the entire short firearm. This wasn’t his usual weapon; keeping it was useless.

He didn’t comment on Luciano’s reminiscence, listening quietly.

“When I smashed him to death in the training room with the instructor’s data box, his younger brother accidentally saw. See, because you threw a tantrum, that cute little boy who would sweetly call you ‘big brother’ at banquets died too.”

Luciano sighed.

“I’m really not good at killing. Children love to squirm, so annoying. I dug out his eyes, broke his limbs, and he still tried to crawl toward you. I thought then, if he was lucky enough to actually crawl to you, I’d dig out his vocal cords and spare his life. Remember the result?”

“I forgot.”

“He mistook the person, crawled to me, grabbed my pants leg, looked up, and called me ‘big brother.’ That was truly horrifying. So I had you do it for me. This time, you didn’t refuse. You are good at killing. Exceptionally talented.”

Luciano looked at Chu Zu, as if he could see the silent surging coldness the teenage boy had radiated. After a moment, he sighed again.

“I reflected while you were unconscious, too. You are an unmodified pure human. Pure humans need extensive personal experience to grow. It was only after the two Mitoli died that you learned things.”

“The Tang Qi matter can’t be blamed on you. I didn’t consider it thoroughly.” He said. “Go get adjusted. Mitoli’s technology is safe enough, reliable enough.”

Luciano’s voice held a clear temptation, like the serpent in Eden flicking its tongue at Adam and Eve.

“I always give you the best, don’t I?”

Chu Zu: “Okay.”

Luciano smiled: “Finish the surgery first, then complete the mission. There’s so much happening now it’s giving me a headache.”

Chu Zu still said, “Okay.”

Luciano waved his hand, indicating he could leave.

“Lucian.” He called out to Luciano, who had sat back down. “I want to take Dai Xi’an with me.”

Luciano raised an eyebrow: “You like this type?”

“She reminded me that Tang Qi is investigating me.”

Luciano tapped the commemorative coin on the desk: “So that’s why you gave her the thing I gave you.”

Chu Zu nodded.

“As you wish.” Luciano’s leniency seemed limitless. He chuckled teasingly, “Actually, it wouldn’t be bad if you liked this type. Dai Xi’an is a beautiful and capable lady. As long as you get her consent, I’d be happy to see a happy ending, of course.”

Chu Zu bent down and gently picked up the blood-soaked woman.

Reaching the door, Chu Zu turned back: “Thank you for your generosity, Lucian.”

Luciano didn’t affirm or deny it, motioning for the remaining people to clean the room, and paid him no further mind.

*

“Are you sure it was Mr. Esposito who ordered him to undergo the surgery?” The specialist operating the equipment asked quietly.

“Direct order from Butler Jeeves,” the person beside him said. “Mr. Chu Zu messed up. Not being disposed of directly already counts as that gentleman’s mercy.”

The specialist frowned, pressing his lips together as if wanting to say more but hesitating.

Chu Zu lay in the circular chamber, limbs firmly secured. An anesthetic dose far exceeding the normal human amount had been injected into his veins ten minutes ago. Now the man had completely closed his eyes, more corpse-like than a corpse.

After Luciano took control of the Mitoli family, he also took over all Mitoli assets.

Virtual reality interaction was Mitoli’s largest industry, immersing targets completely in virtual reality through implanted devices, replacing their real perceptions.

On the surface, it provided upper-district people with more diverse entertainment, but in reality, it was precise research. on the human brain. All users with neural implants were their experimental database.

When users wanted fun, unrestricted virtual reality could satisfy all their desires.

And when Luciano wanted fun, users unable to distinguish virtual from reality could also satisfy all his desires.

There was only one reason Luciano continued pushing the project.

A product developed by generations of Mitoli naturally had functions beyond that.

The human body is controlled by nerves. The purer the human, the more reliant they are on neural command.

Nerve commands are expressed in the form of hormones, ultimately manifesting as human emotions. Excitement, dejection, agitation… Controlling the brain and nerves means controlling the entire person, inside and out.

But this technology wasn’t yet foolproof. Mitoli hadn’t had time to conduct extensive human trials; all clinical applications remained focused on blurring the lines between reality and virtual.

In other words, if they actually implemented neural stimulation to achieve brain control, the risks were high.

The specialist was an old Esposito hand. He hadn’t had much contact with Luciano but was more familiar with Chu Zu, who was constantly on the move.

The first time he saw him, he was still such a scrawny kid, working non-stop, doing all the dirty and hard jobs. Just one mistake and he’s called in for surgery…

“Looking at the man now grown, yet still sleeping quietly like a puppet, he felt a pang of pity, unable to bring himself to disturb him.”
“Mr. Chu Zu did grow up with that gentleman, after all. I thought their relationship…”

“Seeing as we’ve known each other for over thirty years, I’ll only say this to you.” The person beside him said covertly. “The Tang family heir also tried to recruit Chu Zu. Many people speculate that Chu Zu let Tang Qi go because he was persuaded.”

The specialist was taken aback: “If he was really persuaded, he wouldn’t be lying here now. He was the one who personally handed Mitoli over to that gentleman. He knows perfectly well what this surgery means.”

“Yes.” The person beside him said. “But that gentleman doesn’t believe. That gentleman trusts no one.”

Chu Zu was still too loyal, stubbornly choosing a difficult and thankless path.

Although neither dared to actually say it out loud, they both simultaneously thought

Might as well have gone with Tang Qi. At least he could truly live like a human then.

*

“Do I still count as human?”

Chu Zu wasn’t quite sure. The surgical anesthetic used was more than triple the normal human dose, but he was only physically weak. His consciousness could actually remain clear, even able to hear the people around him.

But it was just as well. It let him know the attitudes of those around him.

So, very normal people. So normal it was almost abnormal.

The system was still reeling from the aftermath, taking a moment to process: “You mean after the virtual reality system implant?”

“Yes.”

“Yes.” The system answered instantly. “Currently, the technology’s functionality is still imperfect. At most, it might make you act neurotically crazy, or simply turn you into a fool in Luciano’s hands. Lunatics and fools still count as people!”

Chu Zu: “…”

“But… I thought you would use the ‘Physics Divine Beast.'”

“When Luciano fired at my forehead?”

“So dangerous!” The system brought it up and started feeling afraid again. “You actively gave him the weapon! What if he thought it was a provocation?!”

It was provocation.

Chu Zu didn’t say it out loud in his mind, afraid the system would freak out.

After meeting him, he finally understood what kind of thing Luciano was.

Luciano had some feelings for “Chu Zu,” but not many. Even if he confirmed “Chu Zu’s” betrayal, he’d mostly just be annoyed for a while, then start pondering how to maximize benefits.

This was good. It meant Luciano wouldn’t be overly emotional.

If Luciano had more feelings for him, it would be troublesome. Anger and more hidden humiliation could easily cause a proud schemer to act irrationally.

The current level was just right.

“Chu Zu” would throw a tantrum because of Luciano’s suspicion provoking in his own way.

You suspect me? Then kill me. Here’s the gun. You do it. I won’t dodge.

And he was honest enough, telling the truth, keeping silent about what he couldn’t say, which couldn’t be counted as lying.

Considering their past slight affection, Luciano still gave him a chance.

“He now believes he is important to ‘Chu Zu, ‘” Chu Zu summarized. “After the surgery, troubles like today’s won’t happen again. Quite cost-effective.”

The system expressed deep concern for its host’s brain: “But what if he really turns you into a lunatic or a fool?”

“You are my external brain,” Chu Zu chuckled. “As for ‘Chu Zu,’ it doesn’t matter if he goes mad or becomes a fool. He wasn’t normal to begin with.”

The system instantly became as pumped as if injected with adrenaline: “I WILL DEFEND YOUR BRAIN TO THE DEATH!!!”

“It’s not that serious,” Chu Zu said. “Help me look up information related to Mitoli. Luciano is a purposeful madman. I need to know why those two children really died.”

—
INK HUB
Mitoli Technology: Refers to advanced neural interface and virtual reality systems developed by the Mitoli family, now under Esposito control. Often used for both entertainment and more sinister purposes of control.
The layers of psychological manipulation and twisted history in this chapter are intense.