Apocalypse: Transmigrated with an Overlord System
Chapter 127: Parasites

Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Parasites

"I began thinking about the moment I took them in. Not just what I saw—but how I felt. Fear, pain, guilt, and even pity. I relived it, all of it."

"And in that moment of complete honesty, when I accepted what I’d done and didn’t try to hide from it—that’s when one of them responded."

Liora’s hands tightened slightly on the pages.

"I didn’t call them with force. I called them with memory".

"When I opened the gate, I didn’t reach out with control. I whispered, feeling an emotion tied to their final moment".

"The moment I remembered them clearly... they came."

And then in smaller writing, as if scribbled quickly:

"Souls don’t follow strength. They follow connection."

Liora sat still.

She had never even thought about that. Every soul she absorbed had been during battle. They were chaotic, messy, and cruel. She had never once thought about who or what they had been, even if they were corrupted beasts.

She had taken them, stored them, and ignored them.

But what if she remembered?

What if she tried to connect, even for a brief moment?

Maybe, just maybe... they would respond.

Liora sat cross-legged beneath the rustling trees, her eyes closed, her breathing slow and steady. She was trying to calm herself—trying to understand what was happening inside her. The souls she had collected from the mutated insects were different from those mentioned in the diary. They weren’t just silent.

They were empty.

Not a trace of guilt. Not a single shred of regret. No lingering memories, no unfinished wishes. Just... corruption.

She had read that souls listen only after their burdens are lifted. That the author had slowly gained their trust once their regret was gone. But these souls were not like that. They were hollow, twisted, and numb. How was she supposed to free them when there was nothing human left?

Her mind dipped into her soul realm again.

It was quiet. Dark. The space inside her felt infinite and strange. She found herself surrounded by the familiar flickers—small flames dimly glowing in the shadows. Dozens. Maybe more. These were the souls of the insects she had absorbed.

Liora slowly walked among them. Each soul floated aimlessly, like ash suspended in the wind. Their forms weren’t complete. They didn’t have real shapes, just shadows—twisted outlines that hinted at what they once were. But somehow... she recognized them.

Even without faces, even without voices, she knew them.

She took another step. And then, something pulled at her attention.

Her eyes narrowed.

It wasn’t the souls that caught her breath this time—it was something inside them. A dark tendril, faint but steady, clung to each one. Thin as threads, yet digging in deep like roots of a weed. Parasitic. Wrong.

A chill ran down her spine.

Why did it feel like... this parasite was the reason they had turned into zombies in the first place?

Why were these things still attached, even after death?

Her breath hitched.

She stared at the writhing strands wrapped around the souls. Some were nearly invisible. Others pulsed slowly like they were alive. The realization struck her all at once.

They were infected. Still.

Even in death, they were still infected.

Her thoughts raced. If these parasites were the reason for their corruption, what if she removed them? What if she could pull them out and cleanse the souls? Would that... would that earn their trust?

Her hands trembled as she reached out to one.

The soul flickered slightly at her touch—but her hand passed right through it.

Liora blinked in frustration. Again. And again. Nothing. She couldn’t touch them. Couldn’t hold them. Couldn’t even brush them properly. Her fingers just slipped through like mist.

Then—suddenly—a thought sparked in her mind.

This was her soul realm.

She was the owner here. The ruler of this space. Everything inside this realm should follow her will, right?

So why not command it?

Her heart thudded with new hope. Slowly, she closed her eyes again. This time, she didn’t move. She didn’t try to touch anything. She simply whispered the words in her mind.

"Remove the parasites."

No loud cries. No special rituals. Just a simple wish.

And then—without warning—a soft wind stirred.

It came from nowhere. A pure, white breeze, glowing faintly, swirling through the realm like a gentle tide. It passed through her, warm and light. Liora held her breath.

The wind touched the souls—and the moment it did, the parasites began to peel away.

One by one, like dead leaves falling from branches, the black tendrils loosened. They curled and shriveled, pulled by the wind. Then they were gone.

Gone—just like that.

The light faded as quickly as it came.

Liora opened her eyes, dazed. Her lips parted slightly, too stunned to speak. It had happened so fast. So quiet. She hadn’t even done anything. Just a thought—just a wish—and the darkness was gone.

Her gaze shifted to the souls again.

They were no longer drifting aimlessly. They had all stopped. They were... staring at her.

She froze.

For the first time, there was something in their eyes. Recognition. Awareness. Hope.

They weren’t hollow anymore.

Liora’s chest tightened. The entire atmosphere had changed. The coldness in her soul realm had lifted. It felt clearer. Lighter. Warm. The corrupted shadows were gone, and the souls—now glowing with a soft blue hue—seemed to breathe with life again.

They looked like her own little guardians. Quiet. Watchful. Close.

Almost like pets.

Some circled around her. Others floated quietly at her side. A few stayed at a distance, but even they looked calmer. Peaceful. She had freed them. She had actually freed them.

A faint smile touched her lips.

She didn’t know when her consciousness had returned to the real world, but when it did, she found herself still sitting beneath the trees—arms relaxed, the wind brushing against her skin. The book lay open beside her, its pages fluttering softly.

She picked it up and hugged it to her chest.

If not for the book, she would’ve never figured it out. Never realized the truth. Never gained the trust of those souls.