Chapter 25 Spiritual Energy: Lethal Love

"To be precise... there are only three normal people left."

The Inferior, with dark circles under his weary eyes that had become as deep as the Abyss, said, "I remember when the Director first joined us four years ago... there were five of us, weren't there?"

"Six at most."

Cui Que corrected.

"Traitors aren't considered human."

The man with plum deer antlers crossed his arms over his chest and snorted coldly, "Not counting that traitor, we've lost two in the past four years. Looking on the bright side, at least our casualty rate is much lower than that of the Execution Department."

"Besides, there's one more. Also our former colleague... or rather, the former Director. He is indeed still alive, you might get to meet him someday."

"...He got promoted?"

Russell asked with a stroke of wishful thinking.

"He turned into a Demon. Of course, I believe it was because the stress on his mind was too much... but the company's final report claimed he abused Spiritual Energy."

The Inferior reached into his pocket and pulled out a box of cigarettes, but after receiving a glare from Cui Que, he reluctantly stuffed the box back into his pocket, "That guy is now locked up in the institute, providing us with Spiritual Energy Chips for treatment. He used to be a good person, but after turning into a Demon, he's no longer the same person."

"If there's a chance later on, I'll show you what a Demon really looks like... Let's change the subject. Here, take this."

As he spoke, the Inferior took out a chip box the size of a USB stick and tossed it to Russell.

Russell caught it, then slid it out to inspect.

"What is this?"

He examined it as he asked.

Inside were four chips: red, yellow, blue, and green.

By their design, they closely resembled the chips used by Bad Day on the airship.

"You definitely wouldn't know this because it's technology only accessible to the Execution Department," the Inferior said, rolling up his left sleeve to reveal a forearm with an interface.

Only then did Russell realize that the Inferior's prosthetic body was on his left arm.

The Inferior inserted a chip with a blue label into the slot on his arm—his unruly and indifferent demeanor suddenly became much calmer.

"For example, this is a Spiritual Energy Chip burned with the Director's Spiritual Energy. As long as I insert this chip, I can use the Director's Spiritual Energy," he explained.

After speaking, the Inferior withdrew the chip and returned it exactly as it was.

The chip was still glowing green and had not emitted a red light, which meant it hadn't been used up.

"If you had used it just now, I would have had to admonish you," Cui Que said with a smile, looking like she was joking rather than angry.

But the Inferior bowed his head and answered seriously, "I understand, Director. I won't waste it again."

"...How is Spiritual Energy burned onto a chip?" Russell couldn't help asking.

"The essence of Spiritual Energy is memory and emotion. If one is willing... or is forced into imprisonment, one can copy the memory of the moment of their Awaken, along with the emotion of that instant, and share it with others to use," the Inferior explained.

The Inferior spoke seriously, "But remember, you can only use chips issued by the headquarters, and you can only use one Spiritual Energy Chip at a time. Never pick up and use the chips from mercenaries."

"Why is that?"

"Just like the Spiritual Energy Users from the Execution Department. The chips issued by the company have also undergone safety processing. After you use them, they will delete that part of the memory and emotions. On one hand, this is to protect personal privacy, and on the other hand, to prevent personality disorders.

"The technology in the Lower City District isn't that good, and they also want to save costs, so they make a kind of semi-permanent chip. After inserting the chip, you can use it continuously for several hours, or even days. However, the residual memories are not completely deleted; instead, they are deeply ingrained in the brain, sometimes even more firmly than one's own memories.

"You have to know, memories are very easy to deceive. When those memories mix with your own, they can easily get confused with your own memories, creating nonexistent, false memories. Basically, using it just once will definitely have a negative impact, and using it multiple times can drive you insane.

"Considering human rights and privacy issues, whether to create your own Spiritual Energy Chips or whom to distribute them to is all up to you. But Demons have no human rights—we can harness the powers of captured demons for our own strength. Therefore, there's a bounty for capturing demons alive, but none for killing them. However, if it's not possible to capture them alive, they still have to be killed; at the very least, they can't be let go.

"But even if these chips can be reimbursed, you cannot use the same type of chip continuously within twenty-four hours, as there is still a possibility of memory confusion or emotions that shouldn't exist. In serious cases, it can even lower blue value."

With that, the Inferior shook his Chip Box and said, "Therefore, you usually only carry one type of chip. Your four chips are the standard first-level Spiritual Energy Chips for every Execution Officer. Following the order of red, yellow, blue, green, they are 'Herculean Strength,' 'Detect Surveillance Cameras,' 'Protect from Light Bullets,' 'Rapid Healing.' If you have other needs, you can apply for second-level chips. However, for Spiritual Energy Chips above third level, you must purchase them through internal channels at a discount... but remember, you absolutely cannot sell them to outsiders. Unused chips have an application batch number on them, which makes them easy to trace.

"Used chips can be thrown away or recycled. The data and batch number inside them are destroyed at the time of removal, so you don't have to worry about someone picking them up and using them for evil."

Upon hearing this, Russell grew even more curious.

He didn't know if he could ask this question... but after hesitating for a long time, he still asked.

"Then," he asked, "what is the Director's Spiritual Energy?"

At that question, the surroundings fell silent for a moment.

"Don't call me Director, call me Cui Que."

Cui Que reflected, "My Spiritual Energy... it has many uses.

"But the memory turned into a chip, it only has one effect. That is, when below level six blue value, it can temporarily increase blue value by one level. This means that as long as the emotions are right, one can safely unleash a higher level of Spiritual Energy."

A smile that resembled the one on Bad Day, somewhat fake, appeared on her face, "That's one of the reasons I was pushed into the position of Execution Department Director. This way, I have no choice but to voluntarily provide chips to my subordinates."

"... Is making a chip a painful process?"

"No. To be precise, other than recalling that memory, there's hardly any burden at all."

Cui Que shook her head, "But just like my code name, using this chip has a side effect..."

"What side effect?"

"Addiction," Cui Que spoke softly, "Using it to 'safely' temporarily elevate one's Spiritual Energy is like ingesting a poison that greatly strains the heart. However, since in reality the poison is not ingested, it's impossible to use Detoxification Medicine to neutralize the toxin, one can only directly treat the symptoms of poisoning. As usage of it increases, the poison gradually begins to cause irreversible damage to the heart. For those using a Prosthetic Body heart, symptoms such as asthma, convulsions, vomiting, fainting, and other types of poisoning may occur.

"But its most dangerous aspect is that... it breaks the subconscious restraints experienced Spiritual Energy Users have over their powers. Just like how people instinctively don't use all their strength, to avoid hurting themselves with the recoil. The wall of reason displayed by the blue shift level suppresses the expansion and agitation of Spiritual Energy.

"However, if it's used too many times, to the point of getting used to a higher level of Spiritual Energy, the brain might start to think 'your blue shift is one level higher than it actually is.' In the already dangerous state of a Shift Surge, without using a chip, you may also subconsciously unleash stronger Spiritual Energy. But this completes overstepping the limit—when redshift surpasses blue shift in an instant, it leads to the collapse of the original personality. This results in irreversible and incredibly rapid Demonization."

"That's why... I named myself as Cui Que. It was after I became the Execution Department Director that I changed my name to that."

— That is a type of poisonous flower, considered a relative of the Aconitum.

"When you just asked me what my Spiritual Energy is... by the time I completed the Shift Surge ritual, obtaining the true name and detailed abilities of my own Spiritual Energy, it was a bit too late.

"It was then I realized, its name is 'Lethal Love.' A toxic Spiritual Energy where every derived ability comes with side effects deadly enough to kill."

As she said this, a smile that was almost radiant yet not bright and even somewhat sorrowful spread across her face.