Chapter 7
The wind howled through the towering trees as Lucas moved swiftly, his mind whirring like a well-oiled machine.
He didn't expect to meet Maya Vonlimian here of all places.
The infamous doctor, a woman cloaked in both mystery and madness, was the kind of person stories were spun around.
She was stunning, no doubt about that.
Green hair cascaded like liquid emeralds down her shoulders, her equally green eyes glimmering with a sharpness that suggested she saw through more than just flesh and bone.
Wearing a doctor's coat, she looked like a beacon of innocence.
But Lucas knew better.
This woman wasn't just a doctor.
She was the hardest person to kill in the entire world.
And that was because she had essentially found a way to live forever.
Not in the traditional sense—no, that would be too easy.
Her method was far more insidious.
By transferring fragments of her soul into clones or other bodies, she ensured that she could never truly die.
Even if one body perished, another would take its place, carrying her consciousness forward.
The only problem?
Each transfer created a personality divergence, and sometimes, those copies wanted their own existence.
They wanted to kill the original.
It was an eternal gamble. And yet, she continued playing.
Lucas stole a glance at her as they leaped from tree to tree, moving through the dense forest with the silent grace of predators.
Austin carried Maya effortlessly, his expression unreadable.
Lucas wasn't sure what was stranger—the fact that he was traveling alongside one of the most brilliant and dangerous minds in history, or the fact that she was acting so casual about it.
Night fell quickly, blanketing the world in darkness.
They decided to stop and rest, with Lucas taking first watch.
He sat by a tree, cultivating while keeping an eye on the shadows.
Then, a shift in the mana caught her attention.
"Hey, I felt something change in the mana around here," Maya's voice cut through the night, smooth and intrigued.
Lucas forced himself to remain calm. "Sorry, I was experimenting."
Maya's lips curled slightly. "Oh? A new spell? Interesting. What was your name again?"
"Lucas, Miss Maya. And I must say, I'm a huge fan." He dropped from his perch and landed gracefully before her.
Maya's amusement deepened. "You've read my books?"
"Of course," Lucas said smoothly. "They're revolutionary. A mind like yours deserves admiration."
Maya chuckled, clearly pleased. "I should have started talking to you earlier."
Lucas smirked. "Would you like to discuss some of my theories?"
What followed was an intense, hour-long exchange of knowledge that left Lucas buzzing with new ideas.
Maya's understanding of biology, chemistry, and soul transference was on another level, but even she seemed intrigued by Lucas's own research into enhancement fluids.
In fact, he saw her eyes light up in fascination when he mentioned his blue fluid's properties.
Finally, Lucas leaned forward, voice casual but filled with intent. "I heard one of your books talking about cloning. How unsuccessful it is, how it can never truly work. Why is that?"
Maya's expression changed.
Her playfulness faded, replaced by something deeper. More serious.
She sighed, folding her arms. "You really want to know?"
Lucas nodded. "Yes."
She studied him for a moment, then finally relented. "Alright, listen carefully."
The air between them thickened as she began to explain. "Creating a clone isn't just about copying a body—it's about reconstructing every piece of a living being down to its smallest detail.
But here's the thing… no matter how perfect you make it, it'll never truly be alive."
Lucas frowned. "Why?"
Maya smiled slightly, as if anticipating his question. "Step one: Constructing the flesh.
You need biological matter capable of growing into a full body.
Through advanced cell manipulation, you extract the subject's DNA and force rapid replication, forming an organism.
The fastest way?
Artificial incubation.
The cells divide rapidly, forming a human structure."
Lucas nodded, his mind absorbing every word.
"But flesh alone isn't enough," she continued. "A body needs a nervous system—a brain, a network of neurons that transmits signals.
Scientists can recreate these things down to the last synapse.
And if you're really advanced, you can implant pre-loaded memories."
"So at this stage, you have a complete body," Lucas mused. "But it doesn't move."
"Exactly." Maya's eyes gleamed. "Because the one thing that makes a person real is missing."
Lucas tilted his head. "A soul."
Maya snapped her fingers. "Bingo.
You can copy a body.
You can even simulate emotions.
But you cannot create the essence of a being.
Without a soul, a clone is nothing more than an empty shell."
The revelation sent chills down Lucas's spine.
He had always known there was something missing in artificial life, but to hear it laid out so clearly...
Maya leaned in, lowering her voice. "And that's where things get darker.
Some people, desperate to complete their clones, look for ways to steal a soul. Possession.
Transference.
Soul binding.
But none of them are perfect.
A stolen soul rejects the body that isn't its own.
A forced transfer leaves something broken."
Lucas exhaled slowly. "So in the end, cloning is possible. But making it truly alive…"
"Impossible." Maya finished for him. "And if anyone tells you otherwise, they're lying."
A moment of silence passed between them, the weight of her words settling in.
Then Lucas smirked. "Well then, why don't you give me your research so I can see for myself?"
Maya gave him an unimpressed look. "I just told you all this to stop you from chasing a dream that can never be attained."
Lucas shrugged. "What can I say? I like impossible challenges."
Maya sighed dramatically but then grinned. "I like your spirit.
Fine.
But let me warn you—no matter what you do, a clone will never have talent above that of a normal person.
The highest they can reach is the Copper Stage in mana cultivation.
Any attempt to soul-bind a clone will only damage the original soul and mind."
"One soul, one body," Lucas muttered. "No soul can control two bodies."
Maya nodded approvingly. "Exactly."
Then, suddenly, her grin turned devilish. "But if I'm giving you some of my research… how about you give me your research on that blue fluid you've been working on?"
Lucas sighed, already expecting this.
He should've known there was no such thing as a free lesson with Maya Vonlimian.
"Fine," he relented. "But don't blame me if you end up even more obsessed than you already are."
Maya chuckled. "Oh, Lucas, obsession is just another word for passion."
As the night deepened, the two of them continued their exchange, two brilliant minds locked in a dance of knowledge, curiosity, and dangerous ambition.
Lucas knew that working with Maya was like playing with fire.
But then again, fire was the only way to forge something truly powerful.