You read so deeply into the core of this world! Yes, they definitely walked right into a trap. As for Old Cheng, "smuggler" was indeed his actual former profession in the underground world before things got even darker.

You hit on the exact horror of this cyberpunk setting: the corporations don't care about the "soul." To them, the human brain is just the ultimate biological hard drive. The fact that real-world science is already experimenting with brain cells instead of silicon chips is exactly what inspired this chapter! Sometimes reality is far more terrifying than fiction.

Thank you for the wonderful insights and the weekend wishes. I am definitely taking some time to rest and recharge away from the "bugs" this weekend! 🍀