Soul-Slaying Maiden: Master Of Ancient Divine Weapons

"I refuse," Han Zhen said without hesitation.

Setting aside the fact that they were neither family nor friends, even if they were, he could clearly weigh the pros and cons of prioritizing energy bricks over risking exposure to save someone.

The owner of the mechanical synthesized voice seemed caught off guard by his blunt rejection and paused for a moment.

"What would it take for you to help me?"

"I can tell you the location of the merchants' hidden treasures. I can provide you with all the latest technological advancements. I can—"

Even though it was a mechanical voice devoid of emotion, Han Zhen could detect a hint of urgency.

"Hold on, stop right there."

"You're saying you know the merchants' treasure location and the latest tech developments? Are you sure you're not making this up?"

What kind of joke was this? How could a mere test subject know such top-level secrets?

It was as absurd as some old man on the street claiming to be Emperor Qin Shi Huang, offering to make you a general if you wired him money.

"It's true!"

"Although the experiment to achieve mechanical ascension failed on me, part of my consciousness was still uploaded to the core terminal."

"The merchants' special core terminal contains the consciousness of past generations of their family. Many secrets are stored there, and I've managed to read quite a lot. How else do you think Wang Chunyu knew about secret passages and access codes?"

That was a fair point.

Shang Xiaoyun had been confined in a water tank and couldn't possibly leave. Without some extraordinary reason, how could Wang Chunyu know so much?

Han Zhen had already harbored suspicions. Hearing Shang Xiaoyun's explanation made him believe her halfway.

"I'm willing to share these secrets with you via consciousness waves. That way, you'll know everything I know."

"It's just a consciousness transmission. If there's really any danger, do you think I can climb out of this water tank to harm you?"

Her words left Han Zhen hesitant.

So far, what she said seemed logical. Besides, he hadn't yet found the location of the energy brick storage in Titan City.

If her uploaded consciousness contained that information, wouldn't it be effortless to obtain?

After weighing the risks and benefits, Han Zhen agreed.

"You don't have to get close," Shang Xiaoyun added, seemingly sensing his wariness. "I only need a transmission conduit."

"For experimental subjects like me, consciousness transmission is very convenient. Theoretically, if the merchants' research succeeds, it could represent a groundbreaking technological leap."

Imagine if consciousness could persist indefinitely and knowledge could be transmitted with ease. How quickly would humanity's understanding evolve?

A mad scientist's dream.

Han Zhen didn't hesitate further and stopped where he stood.

A metal tube extended from the massive mechanical apparatus.

Its surface was smooth, with a connector at the end made of a special, rounded, and shiny material.

Han Zhen stood on guard as the tube approached.

It made no aggressive movements, merely reaching toward him and gently touching his forehead.

A cool sensation spread from his forehead.

The next second, a torrent of information surged into his mind, exploding like fireworks.

The sensation was so overwhelming that Han Zhen didn't even have time to react. Just as he opened his mouth, his vision darkened, and he collapsed unconscious.

"Finally."

Through their shared vision, Wang Chunyu saw this scene and stepped into the room.

"That guy is ridiculously cautious. Even after all the goodwill I showed him along the way, he still didn't fully trust me."

"Good thing you managed to bluff him in the end."

As Wang Chunyu spoke, he hurriedly hoisted Han Zhen up and carried him toward the water tank.

"By the way, just before he blacked out, his mouth moved a bit. What did he say?"

"He said: 'Damn, Infinite Void!'"

"What nonsense is that? Whatever, it doesn't matter. Xiaoyun, wait for me. Once I transfer your neural pathways to his body, the merchants won't notice a thing."

"Wait for me, Xiaoyun! Soon, I'll use this scapegoat to replace you, and we'll escape Titan City as planned. Then we'll find a place they'll never reach, where we'll never be separated again."

Wang Chunyu continued babbling, his hands moving skillfully and efficiently as if rehearsed countless times.

No, it wasn't "as if." He had rehearsed countless times.

Saving Shang Xiaoyun had become the sole reason Wang Chunyu kept going.

"Chunyu…" Shang Xiaoyun's mechanical voice interrupted him.

"What? Don't worry, Xiaoyun. I've practiced this so many times; nothing will go wrong. Trust me!"

"Mm… Chunyu, your idol is Han Zhen, right? The Great Xia hero, the new beacon of hope?"

"Of course! Han Zhen is my idol!"

Without pausing, Wang Chunyu continued, "He's Great Xia's hero. I've always dreamed of becoming someone like him. He's achieved things I could never do."

"Oh, right. Once we escape Titan City, we could head to Northern Command. But if we do, we'll have to contribute somehow as Great Xia citizens. No time for idleness."

"Why aren't you saying anything, Xiaoyun?"

After a moment of silence, Shang Xiaoyun's voice faltered:

"What if I told you… the man you just tied up is Han Zhen?"

Wang Chunyu's hands froze mid-motion.

He kept his head lowered, silent.

"You're lying… You're lying to me, right, Xiaoyun?"

"Chunyu, consciousness transmission is two-way. It doesn't just send thoughts; it also retrieves fragments of the other's consciousness. You know that."

Shang Xiaoyun hesitated before continuing, "From the fragments I retrieved from his mind, he is none other than your idol, Han Zhen."

"Chunyu?"

Wang Chunyu crouched there, motionless, like a statue.

For the sake of saving his beloved, he had been willing to become a dog, betray his kind, and manipulate others as scapegoats. He would stop at nothing.

But why?

Why, just as he was on the verge of success, did it have to be this man—his greatest idol, the spiritual leader of Great Xia, Han Zhen?

Wang Chunyu's shoulders began to tremble violently. He turned his back, but in their shared vision, Shang Xiaoyun could see his tear-streaked face.

"Maybe… let's just forget about it," Shang Xiaoyun murmured.

"I'm not from Great Xia, but I know what he means to you, to your people."

"We're fine as we are now."

"What's fine about this?" Wang Chunyu spun around, his voice hoarse and low.

Love and loyalty are worth a thousand gold.

But what if you could only choose one?

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