Chapter 28 · That was the point

"That was the point."

Lilith moved in front of me. "Shut the channel down."

Viktor laughed softly. "Still giving orders. You sound like your father. He begged more politely."

Her finger tightened around the trigger.

"Say one more word about him."

"You came for my system because you thought killing me would make you heir. But you don't understand the transfer. The network doesn't need my old body anymore. It needs a compatible host."

His face turned toward me.

"Kai, your identity was erased because there was nothing left to preserve. Your memories were stripped because they interfered with the installation. Your instincts, your reflexes, your little bursts of rebellion... those are glitches."

"You talk too much for a dead man."

"I'm not dead. I'm distributed. Every camera, every transit gate, every private server tied to the Vale network carries a piece of me."

"Then why do you need me?"

Viktor's smile widened.

"Because a piece is not a whole."

The Plugin pulsed in my vision.

[NEW DATA SOURCE DETECTED] [CONNECTION REQUEST: VIKTOR VALE] [ACCEPT? Y/N]

I blinked hard. The prompt stayed.

"Kai?" Lilith said.

"Don't talk to him.