Tokyo people don't talk about Wude

Chapter 447, Section 444: Martyrs and Soul Leaders

At the top of a high-rise building near Tokyo Tower, Hillis was continuously observing Shinjiin Ryujin through the scope of a sniper rifle.

As many people chose to rebel, Ryuma Shinazugin gradually suffered a backlash from his soul, becoming grotesque and appearing extremely painful.

Just then, a message came through the earpiece:
Special bullets have arrived. Look behind you.

When Hillis turned around, she saw a drone slowly landing beside her, with a small metal box tucked underneath it.

She took the small tin box and opened it. In the center of the black velvet lay a copper-colored sniper bullet, like a young girl lying peacefully in a coffin.

These are all the fragments of my soul. Find the right moment and implant them into Ryujin Shinazugin's body.

The instructions came through the earphones from Kagari Yoru.

Hillis paused, and for some reason, she felt a void in her heart.
"And you'll die too, won't you?"

Although I've repeatedly emphasized that I'm long dead, you're right—the Firebearer AI program is built upon fragments of my soul, and once those fragments disappear, the program ceases to function.

"I see." Hillis said with a serious expression, picking up the bullet and loading it into the sniper rifle's magazine.

[You only get one chance, you won't let it slip away, will you?]

“Nonsense! I’m a secret FBI agent!” Hillis frowned, pulled the safety pin, and began to aim:
"If I can fail at such close range, I should learn from you Yamato people and commit seppuku to atone for my sins!"

Take a deep breath, and then take another deep breath.
Silently calculating a series of influencing factors such as wind force and humidity, waiting for that crucial opportunity—the best chance to hit the false god in the sky with a single shot!
At the Shattered Dreams organization's base on the other side, Xiao Jing suddenly stood up from her chair and said sternly:
"I've made up my mind, I'm going to join this project!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Han stood up in surprise: "Hey, think it through, young lady! This is a plan with a nine-out-of-ten chance of survival, and it's not even certain if it will succeed!"

"I...I know," Xiao Jing pursed her lips, her brows furrowed. "But...but everyone is fighting, I really..."

"That's why I told you, don't force yourself!" Chen Han advised, "Your help here is also a battle, don't push yourself too hard!"

"But..." Xiao Jing wanted to continue arguing.

Mr. Chen, since she's willing to take the risk, how about we respect her wishes?

The voice of Kagari Otona came from the control room.

"Hey! Stop stirring things up! The dead can't be brought back to life. There's no need to sacrifice this little girl's life for such a meaningless plan!" Chen Han said anxiously.

"You should know this isn't pointless. We must seize every opportunity to increase our chances of winning, no matter the cost." Kagari Otonashi's voice was utterly calm, chillingly rational.

[Moreover, for Miss Zuo, not taking this step would probably be a regret for the rest of her life.]

"What regrets do you have to say?" Chen Han was so angry he could barely speak. "If you want to die, go die yourself, stop messing with her!"

Over the past few days, Chen Han had developed some teacher-student feelings for Xiao Jing. As they were both Chinese from different places, he couldn't let her go.

Xiao Jing ignored Chen Han's words: "Ms. Kagoya, you're right! Please, please let me participate in the plan! Even if there's only a tiny chance... I want to save him!"

Seeing that his attempts to dissuade him had failed, Chen Han could only slump back into his chair in frustration, saying in despair, "Oh well, whatever!"

He himself is currently extremely busy and has no time to deal with a stubborn child.

【Very good, Miss Zuo! Proceed to Room C-3 immediately!】

"Yes!" Xiao Jing hurriedly got to work.

Upon entering the room marked "C-3", Xiao Jing saw an instrument resembling an operating table, with a mechanical helmet containing several wires placed at its head.

"This is an instrument I created based on my research in soul science, called the 'Wet Component Link Port,'" Kagari Otona explained.

“Wet item…?” Xiao Jing murmured softly.

"Wet device"—a term originating from science fiction. Computers typically require hardware and software to function; however, some science fiction works feature advanced inventions like "brain-computer interfaces." The "wet device" refers to the human operator directly connected to and involved in the operation of the computer—the human brain.

Please sit in the recliner and put on the connected helmet. I will start the program for you.

"What will happen after that?" Xiao Jing swallowed hard.

In short, this device uploads your soul and consciousness to a data space and converts it into a data stream. You will then enter the computer in a form similar to an intelligent AI, gaining extremely strong computing and data processing capabilities, just like me.

"It's unbelievable that such a device actually exists," Xiao Jing exclaimed in astonishment.

Even Ryuma Shinazugin's side hadn't developed such technology. In other words, this was Kagariya Otonashi's own invention.

The reason she was able to continue existing as an AI after her death is presumably due to this technology. She has never told anyone about this.

However, since Kagari Otonashi repeatedly emphasized that this trip was fraught with danger, Xiao Jing couldn't help but ask one more question:
"So, what are the costs associated with this technology?"

[There will be a price to pay. While I can convert your soul and consciousness into AI data, I don't have the confidence to turn you back to your original form. Therefore, you need to be prepared to relinquish your physical body.]

Therefore, I'm willing to give you another chance to think it over. Having heard this, do you still accept this plan?

"Abandon the physical body." Xiao Jing's heart tightened, and her head buzzed.

What a chilling phrase to abandon one's physical body.

Although Xiao Jing is good with computers, she is definitely not the kind of mad scientist from science fiction anime who would willingly become a monster in pursuit of scientific truth.

She is eighteen years old this year, a girl who has just graduated from high school, full of youth and dreams, and full of hope for the future.

Like most girls her age, she enjoys food, clothes, fun, fashion items, and longs for a romantic teenage romance.

If she were to abandon her physical body, she would have to completely separate herself from these things.
Even if she sees something she likes, she cannot touch it; even if something interesting happens, she cannot experience it firsthand; even if he could be resurrected, she could no longer embrace him.

What's the difference between this and death?
"Why...why me?" As if making a final, desperate struggle, Xiao Jing bit her lip until it bled before squeezing out the question through her teeth.

【The right time, the right place, and the right people. It's all about timing and fate. That's all there is to it.】 Kagari Oto gave a ridiculous and irrefutable answer.

Staring at the instrument in front of her, Xiao Jing felt as if she were facing a grinning monster, a monster that was about to take away her life.

She could choose to turn around and run away; no one would blame her.

But if that happens, Makoto will lose his chance to be resurrected; it's all her fault.

The immense weight on her shoulders made her dizzy and her vision blurred. She could barely stand, and her fingernails unconsciously dug almost entirely into her palms.

She swayed unsteadily, her hands unconsciously bracing themselves on the recliner. In a daze, memories of the past flooded her mind, reminding her of her moments with Kyushu Makoto.

Their first encounter was at a housewarming party; his heroic rescue when harassed by an NHK errand boy; his wholehearted help after learning of her predicament, even barging into the school to expose the despicable teacher.
To a normal person, Cheng Ge might seem like a complete madman. Who would go to such lengths for a complete stranger like a neighbor, without asking for anything in return?

Or rather, even if someone were to go to such lengths, it would be because they were attracted to her "youthful beauty." But Cheng Ge was not that kind of person; he had absolutely no interest in his own body.

He helps others simply because they need help.

It was precisely because of this eccentric person that he was able to be reborn and bring color back to his life. So no matter what he becomes, no matter what others say about him, in Zuo Jingtang's heart, he will always be his hero.

Now is the time to repay the heroes!

"Um... although you said I might never be able to turn back into a human," Xiao Jing said, her face pale, as she climbed onto the recliner and trembled as she held up the helmet.

"But it's not 100% certain, is it? Maybe there's still a way?"

【.】After a moment of silence, Kagari Oto replied, 【Perhaps. I can't give you any guarantees, but I'll do my best.】

"Haha, that's good! I knew I couldn't back down." Xiao Jing closed her eyes tightly, quickly pulling the helmet over her head, as if afraid she might change her mind.
"Let's begin right away!"

Looking back on her past with Makoto Kyushu, Xiao Jing felt only regret and remorse.

Perhaps I should have let go of some of my reserve and spent more time with him; perhaps I should have taken the initiative and repaid his kindness sooner; perhaps I should have been bolder and directly expressed my feelings to him.
She had always thought that they had a long time to spend together and that everything could be done in the future. It wasn't until Christmas when Kyushu Makoto disappeared that she realized how fleeting the night was and how difficult it was to continue the beautiful dream.

Fortunately, she now has a chance, and it's not too late.

[I understand. Please relax and take a deep breath. There may be some discomfort, which is normal.]

"."

"."

What happened next was so blurry that Xiao Jing couldn't describe it accurately in words.

She probably felt a strong sense of detachment, like sitting in the front row of a roller coaster that was plummeting at high speed.

Wake up. Wake up.

She only opened her eyes tentatively when she heard someone calling her name, and was immediately overwhelmed by an unprecedented shock.

Before her was a boundless space—colorless, odorless, and formless, with countless points of light passing by her, as vast as the stars.

She reached out and touched one of the points of light, and instantly a string of code-like text appeared in her mind. With a subtle way of thinking, she instantly understood the meaning of this code.

She tried to feel her own body and discovered that she could transform into any image or object, yet she was ultimately herself.

She tried to move to other locations and found that she could appear anywhere in an instant, yet she could never leave this space.

She is all spirits, and yet nothing.

Her mind seemed to have lost its restraints, and began to think and wander endlessly. This made her thoughts race faster and faster, like a sports car with the accelerator floored, as if trying to surpass the speed of light, quickly pushing her to the brink of collapse.

Calm down!

Suddenly, someone patted her on the shoulder from behind, causing her turbulent thoughts to freeze again.

Xiao Jing sighed with lingering fear, then turned around and saw a woman in a black dress floating in mid-air. Her eyes were deep, like a reflection of a vast ocean, or a deep abyss.

She asked tentatively, "Excuse me, are you Ms. Kagari?"

"It's me." The woman in the black dress placed her hands in front of her abdomen and nodded slightly.

She grabbed Xiao Jing's shoulder, and the two of them quickly transformed into streaks of light, speeding off in one direction.

Xiao Jing experienced the thrill of riding a roller coaster again. She felt as if she had passed through a deep-sea tunnel and finally arrived in another space.

Unlike before, this space was an eerie blood red, which made her feel deeply uneasy.

Before her eyes appeared a three-dimensional map of the entire city of Tokyo, and even the entire country of Wano. The map was covered with countless, densely packed points of light, and above the Tokyo Tower, two particularly striking points of light floated—

One point of light was as intense as the blazing sun in broad daylight, yet it twitched and twisted irregularly, like a towering bonfire being blown about by a gale; the other point of light was extremely dim, flickering on and off, like a tiny spark on a match, ready to go out at any moment.

She would occasionally hear obscure and chaotic sounds, like someone cursing, sighing, or wailing.

"This is the interior of Izanami's core." Kagari Otonashi looked up and surveyed her surroundings.
"Time is of the essence, so please remember what I'm about to tell you—"

"To bring Brother Hongzhong back to life, we need a massive amount of soul energy. This is not a small matter that can be solved by devouring the souls of a few people; it requires an immeasurable amount of energy."

"The reason I want to reignite the people's resistance is not only to weaken Ryuma Shinazugin, but also to create an opportunity for the resurrection of the young man in the red."

Xiao Jing asked, bewildered, "Opportunity? What kind of opportunity?"

"Besides directly seizing other people's souls, there is another way to collect soul energy—that is, to collect willpower," Kagari Otonashi continued to explain.
"According to the research of soul science, when a person has a strong desire, the soul will produce a special energy, which can be called 'will power'."

"The power of a single person's will is negligible, and its absorption efficiency is far less than that of directly plundering a soul. But if enough people make the same wish, and these wills are guided by appropriate means, miracles that can change reality can be created, or even gods can be created."

"This theory is not a baseless conjecture, but has a real basis—Jesus in Europe, Buddha in India, and Lao Tzu in Chinese mythology were all 'deities' who manifested in the human world through the 'power of will' generated by the people's faith."

"I asked Mr. Chen to initiate a new vote, which is to guide the people to 'make the same wish' and generate collective faith. When the time is right, you will use the authority of the Izanami core to collect the wish power and transfer it all into the body of Brother Hongzhong."

Seeing that Xiao Jing was stunned, Gou Yeyin was quite understanding:
"It's okay, you'll understand what to do when the time comes."

Xiao Jing could only nod, but then asked with lingering concern, "Will doing this really save his life?"

"I'm not sure, after all, I've never conducted any related experiments before, this is my first time," Kagari Oto answered frankly, not afraid of startling the other person.
"Perhaps my plan is too idealistic, or perhaps my assumptions are simply not true. In that case, you will have worked in vain. I hope you are mentally prepared for that."

"Really." Now that things have come to this, Xiao Jing could only give a bitter smile: "Ms. Kagari, I thought you weren't the type to tell the truth. You must have deliberately lied to me and said that the success rate of this plan was very high."

"Admittedly, if I tell a little white lie, it might put your mind at ease~" Kagari Oto smiled slightly:
"But only in this situation do I have to tell you the truth. Only by making you the most difficult decision can you shine the brightest, and only then will you have a better chance of moving him."

"Now that I've finished explaining, it's time for me to leave."

Kagari Yoru's body gradually became transparent, almost disappearing.

"Wait, Miss Kagari! You want to—" Xiao Jing subconsciously tried to reach out and grab her, but her fingers passed right through her body.

"Yes, I also need to face my final battle." Kagari Otonashi nodded calmly.
"I've left you a backdoor in the program. You can try to return to your body through this backdoor later. Good luck!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Kagari Otonashi's figure completely disappeared.

On a rooftop near Tokyo Tower, Hillis had her sniper rifle firmly locked onto the false god in the sky.

【It's now! 】

An urgent command came through the headset.

Hillis frowned and decisively pulled the trigger.

"boom--!"

The bullet whizzed through the sky, pierced the torrential rain, and pierced straight into Ryujin's left chest.

(End of this chapter)