Chapter 1: Soul
In the suburbs of Metropolis, at the Seventh Street Nursing Home.
The door opened, and a well-dressed, handsome young man of Chinese descent with light-green eyes walked in.
"Professor, I brought what you asked for."
A photograph and two bank drafts totaling three hundred thousand dollars were placed on the sickbed. The old man picked up the drafts to verify the account holder's name. Then, he placed the photograph in his palm, looking at the kindly smiling lady, his eyes revealing extremely complex emotions.
The youth picked up a towel and wiped away the tears at the corner of the old man's eyes, then sat silently beside him.
Time ticked by. After a long silence, and with a lonely sigh, the old man regained his composure.
"When I die, please place the photograph on my body."
"I can do that. Do you have any other wishes?"
"No more."
The old man shook his head and then said, "Young man, thank you for doing so much for me. Now, you may state your request. What is it you want from me?"
"A soul."
"A soul?"
"Yes, a soul."
The youth looked up, his light-green eyes radiating a strange, faint glow.
"Professor Landos, I need your soul."
The old man chuckled hoarsely, as if he'd encountered something very amusing, his tone becoming quite cheerful.
"So, I am dealing with a demon. I wonder what your true name is? Lucifer? Or perhaps Beelzebub?"
"No, my name is Luke, and I am not a demon." The youth raised his palm, and a green flame appeared in the center. "Just a human with special abilities."
The deep-green flame resembled the ghostly fire of the underworld; though burning, it emitted a coldness that penetrated the soul. The old man fell silent. After a good while, he managed a forced smile.
"A metahuman?
I met one when I worked in Norway. She was a beautiful girl with silver hair who could conjure ice out of thin air, even creating a small blizzard. What about you? What exactly is your ability?"
"To devour souls, digest them, acquire memories, and strengthen myself."
"What an evil power!"
The old man sighed, though he showed little fear. For a dying man, there was nothing left to revere, only curiosity.
"Why choose me? An old man with terminal liver cancer can't offer you much, can he?"
"This is an experiment, and a matter of necessity."
"Would you mind telling me more?"
"Of course, if you wish to hear."
Luke pulled a chair up to him and sat down, narrating in a calm voice. "My ability has a flaw: while absorbing the souls of others, I'm also affected by their negative desires.
Before you, I absorbed the souls of three people in total.
The first was a history professor whose body was dumped in the wilderness. His soul was filled with a desire for revenge. To escape the entanglement, I spent months tracking down his killer.
The second was a scientist executed by firing squad. The emotion of brutality, buried deep in his soul, transferred to me. My experience during that time was not good.
To prevent similar issues, I made a very strict selection for the third target and ultimately chose Frank Tours."
The old man frowned. "The Governor?"
"Yes, the former Governor."
Luke sighed. "It turned out to be a very foolish decision. Who could have imagined that the seemingly fair and upright Governor was, deep down, a pervert? To get him off my back, I had to go to great lengths, dating all sorts of girlfriends. My good reputation, which I'd built up over many years, was ruined."
The old man said oddly, "That doesn't sound like a bad thing."
Luke shrugged. "My grandfather is a rigid man, and he doesn't like me bringing girls of various skin colors home to stay the night. Besides, I'm only seventeen; too much of that isn't good for my development."
"Good point!"
The old man laughed heartily. "So, you saved the fourth target for me—a good man without any bad habits."
Luke shook his head. "I said this is an experiment."
"My previous experiences taught me a principle: whether good or bad, everyone hides unknown desires deep in their heart. Desire is unavoidable. I must only choose a soul that has no regrets."
"A soul with no regrets!"
The old man murmured, a look of sudden understanding in his eyes. "You helped me achieve my final wish so that I can die without regret, making it easier for you to devour and digest."
"Yes."
"That sounds quite fair."
"Thank you for seeing it that way."
Luke adjusted the position of the pillow to make the old man more comfortable. "Do you have any other final wishes? If so, please tell me, and I will help you fulfill them."
The old man quietly looked at the ceiling. After a moment, he spoke weakly.
"How much longer do I have to live?"
"Based on your current vital signs, two minutes at most."
"Can it be... a little longer?"
"I apologize, I don't have that ability."
The old man fell silent, and for the first time, an expression of despair crossed his pale face. Fortunately, he was mature enough, and he quickly suppressed the emotion.
"Thank you for telling me so much."
"It was the right thing to do."
Luke stood up and took the old man's frail hand.
"It was a pleasure meeting you, Professor Landos."
The old man gave him a complex look, closed his eyes, and passed away.
"Goodbye, Professor."
Luke bowed. Deep-green flames erupted from his hand. With a gentle tug, he pulled out a fragmented soul. The youth opened his mouth and swallowed the soul.
A massive rush of memory fragments surged in: the joy of childhood, the freedom of youth, a college crush, the confusion after graduation, the helplessness at his wedding, and, of course, that passion for science. Most importantly, it was an endless supply of knowledge.
Nuclear physics, electronic engineering, element chemistry, cytology... The old man's life's learning became Luke's nourishment. What was pleasing was that, apart from that one unerasable regret, the memories contained no other desires.
"Thank you for your gift."
Luke bowed once more, tucked the photo into the old man's hand, and called the funeral home.
To ensure the old man didn't depart alone, Luke specifically arranged for six Ghanaian pallbearers. Frank J. Landos completed the final journey of his life amidst a lively, bouncing, and cheerful atmosphere.
"Have a good journey, Professor."
Luke set down a bouquet of lilies, turned, and departed.
Outside the cemetery, Charlie Will approached him.
"Boss, the director of the Wayne Group and the CEO of the Luthor Group have both called, hoping to discuss the acquisition with you."
Luke removed his suit jacket, tossing it casually into the car.
"Tell them to talk to me in three months."
"The Wayne Group is offering fifty million," Charlie paused, then added, "Euros."
Luke put on his sunglasses and said with a faint smile, "Charlie, what did I tell you on your first day of work?"
Charlie paused, then said seriously, "Understood, Boss, I'll handle it."
"That's right."
The silver-white Ferrari blasted a heavy blue flame and sped off, leaving the envious and jealous stares of onlookers behind.
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