Chapter 109

Chapter 109: Artificial Soul 36

August 16th, 5:00 AM.

Mechanical Dawn Temporary Base.

Kui Xin’s hazy consciousness faintly perceived a powerful tremor.

She lay within the brain machine; this was part of the plan. Not only did she have to receive the memory implant from Mechanical Dawn, but she also had to pretend that her mind was enduring cruel mental infiltration and interrogation under hypnosis gas, causing her consciousness to enter a deep state of dormancy.

BOOM! Something exploded. Glass shattered, fragments raining down on her densely.

Kui Xin heard familiar voices: “We found one of the rescue targets. Scanning confirms it as Security Officer Kui Xin. She is currently being evacuated to a safe area.”

Another familiar voice stated, “Security Officer Kui Xin’s consciousness is unclear. Medical aid is required.”

She was lifted up. The patches and wires connected to her head were torn away. Her body was secured with restraints while someone carried her forward.

“…” Kui Xin regained some awareness and called out indistinctly when she was being carried, “Lao Liu? Jiang Ming?”

“It’s us, we’re here to save you,” Liu Kangyun said.

A slightly distant voice replied, “Don’t worry, Kui Xin,” from Jiang Ming.

Her headache was excruciating. The false memories forcefully implanted into her brain tore at her original ones, making her feel as if her head would burst.

It took her a while to adapt to the existence of new memories and intentionally allowed the implanted ones to dominate over her original ones. Those falsely implanted memories were crucial for getting through the interrogation by the Investigation Bureau.

More chaotic footsteps approached her, and around Liu Kangyun and Jiang Ming were many security officers, all there for this rescue mission.

A security officer with medical equipment came to Kui Xin’s side, lifting her arm and injecting her with a syringe. As the medicine flowed into her bloodstream, Kui Xin’s clouded consciousness gradually became clearer.

“Do you know where Chief Wang and Team Leader Wei are, Kui Xin?” Liu Kangyun asked.

Kui Xin struggled to open her eyes, “I don’t… I’ve never seen them before… I think I’ve been unconscious for a long time.”

Liu Kangyun wasn’t optimistic and, upon hearing her statement, didn’t say much more. They quickly moved in an orderly fashion to evacuate, joining their teammates by his side.

Halfway through their movement, Liu Kangyun received communication from another squad. They had successfully located the detained Wei Zhi.

Once they left the base, Kui Xin looked up and noticed numerous armed helicopters floating in the sky, with two supersonic fighters flying overhead, leaving a thunderous roar, their sonic booms trailing white streaks in the sky.

She turned around and finally saw the location of Mechanical Dawn’s temporary base.

This endless expanse of wasteland only had tumbleweeds and cracked, yellow soil, the sun not yet fully risen despite it being just past five in the morning.

Mechanical Dawn’s temporary base was underground, with the entrance made to look like a regular exit from which an opening could rise to reveal a passage the size of a parking lot entrance.

“This is…” Kui Xin asked in confusion.

“In Chi Yu City, somewhere relatively isolated, about six hundred kilometers from Hei Hai City.” Liu Kangyun wiped the sweat off his brow.

“Are both city’s investigation bureaus working together?” Kui Xin observed many unfamiliar faces.

“Yes,” said Liu Kangyun, untying his restraints and gently handing Kui Xin over to the approaching medical staff.

“Was any of the security officers hurt?” Kui Xin asked.

“No, we didn’t encounter any combat –this seems to be a temporary facility with very few items of use. Phew, we got nothing this time again.” Liu Kangyun said irritably, “We found this place based on the signal transmitter hidden in Team Leader Wei’s body. We brought countless armored vehicles, helicopters, and fighter jets, as well as a lot of Awakeneds from the Special Affairs Department, but there was no combat.”

“Aren’t our captors unlikely to let us off that easily? Could they have done something to me, like inserting listening devices or mini bombs…” Kui Xin nervously touched her body.

“Rest assured, if they did anything like that, we’d catch it. From when you were captured until our rescue, it’s only been under two days. Even the duration needed for brain machine interrogations is too short to add additional measures,” Liu Kangyun reassured her to the best of his ability, “Rest up first. I’ll continue on with Jiang Ming’s mission.”

At this moment, medical personnel looking at the data on a scanner remarked, “Your body appears fine. No visible injuries, although a few numerical abnormalities…”

Kui Xin explained, “My extraordinary ability is rapid healing.”

“I see…” responded the medical personnel, “Resting will help. I’ll give you an intravenous drip to boost your energy and recovery.”

Kui Xin was placed onto a stretcher and taken into a medical helicopter where a nurse gave her an IV.

Soon after, Wei Zhi was also brought in.

Wei Zhi’s condition was far worse than Kui Xin’s. Her eyes were half-closed, her lips moving slightly, almost as if murmuring something.

“How is she now?” Kui Xin feigned concern.

“Brain machine aftermath,” the nurse briefly explained, “Further treatment is needed. If everything goes well, she should regain consciousness within half an hour.”

Kui Xin felt a pang in her heart. Mechanical Dawn had indeed used brain machines on Wei Zhi too.

Lying on the stretcher, she watched the fluid in the IV bag drop one by one.

But even as Wei Zhi finally awoke and the medical helicopter took off carrying them away from the wilderness, no news came about finding Wang Feichi.

…

“Name?”

“Kui Xin,”

“Position?”

“Assistant Secretary and Deputy Combat Officer to the Investigation Bureau’s Field Operations Group.”

“How long have you been employed?”

“More than two weeks.”

Kui Xin wore a metal bracelet-like device on her wrist—a lie detector. If she lied, the band would sound an alarm.

The interrogator studied her micro-expressions and continued, “Do you remember the date when you were caught?”

“August 14th,” Kui Xin replied in a tone seeking confirmation, “Correct, August 14th, I’m sure…”

“I won’t answer your questions. Regarding the questions I ask, you need to respond based on your memory, even vague or uncertain information must be voiced.” The interrogator said.

Those who had undergone mental intrusion through brain machines often experienced minor aftereffects such as confusion, temporary amnesia, altered sense of time, headache, disorientation, and nausea. The severity varied among individuals and decreased with time.

“Recap what happened that day, starting from your meeting with Captain Wang Feichi until every detail, no detail omitted.” The interrogator instructed.

Kui Xin nodded, “That day, I went to work as usual, arriving at the station half an hour earlier than usual. By then, the team leader had already arrived. I was informed I had to accompany her on a mission. Before starting, we waited for the helicopter on the rooftop. Captain Wang was inside waiting…”

She recounted the day in detail, pausing occasionally to recall events accurately. The interrogator did not interrupt during her reminiscing.

When she mentioned the liquid nitrogen bombs, the interrogator’s expression turned grave. For the first time, he interrupted her, “Describe its appearance in detail.”

“At least four meters long, and a diameter of more than a meter,” Kui Xin said, “Completely silver-white, somewhat oval in shape with no tail wings, nothing like a guided missile.”

“Draw it.” The interrogator tapped the table. A light screen blinked and appeared in front of Kui Xin.

She drew a picture of the liquid nitrogen bomb according to her memory and handed it over to the interrogator.

After glancing at the sketch, the interrogator quickly sent it out.

“You can continue now,” he said.

“When the liquid nitrogen weapon appeared, Team Leader Wei intended to confine it, but the enemy teleported another bomb, which immediately exploded near Captain Wang. I lost consciousness right after… I regained it a couple of times; once, it seemed I was on an operating table… Other instances… I’m not sure if I was truly awake or just deluded by the brain machine, making me believe I was awake. It felt like it took ages before I truly woke up, faced by my teammate… Liu Kangyun.”

“Were you aware of the people performing the surgery around you?”

“I’m unsure… There seemed to be several people surrounding me. But nobody spoke, I could hear the incision made by the scalpel.”

“Do you remember the dreams you had?”

“Just a completely white room, someone asking me questions…”

“What did they ask you?”

“I… don’t remember.”

“Not even a bit?”

“Emm… no memory of it at all.”

The interrogator questioned several specific details and Kui Xin answered one by one. Finally, the interrogator requested Kui Xin to recount the incident again. She complied and elaborated each segment. He kept questioning on loop, mixing the sequence, digging deeply, even reasking for the incident’s sequence. Each round, he added new questions.

Towards the end, Kui Xin felt exhausted, the headache worsened, with red veins more obvious in her eyes, but still cooperated with the interrogation.

Three hours later, the interrogation paused temporarily.

The interrogator courteously nodded, “You may rest now.”

The interrogation had far from ended. Once her brain machine aftereffects subsided, she would face more rounds of questioning.

If necessary, the Investigation Bureau would also use a brain machine to read Kui Xin’s memories. If not for the fact that connecting to a brain machine continuously could cause brain death in psychologically frail individuals, turning them into vegetative states, Kui Xin might have already been placed inside one for memory inspection.

Kui Xin was brought by two security officers to a rest room, where she staggered and collapsed on the single bed.

She was still in Chiyu City, not back to Hei Hai City. Because the Investigation Bureau urgently wanted to extract information about Mechanized Dawn from her, they had hastily arranged for an interrogation here in Chiyu City.

The interrogation process would likely be similar for Wei Zhi, but her interrogation would be comparatively gentler, considering their different positions and statuses.

There was an electronic clock in the rest room, showing the time as 14:00.

There were still ten whole hours until the return to the Second World.

A few minutes later, the rest room door opened, and a robot carried food into Kui Xin’s room: “Please eat your meal.”

In the blind spot of the surveillance, the robot’s head screen flashed with a line of text: “Do not speak and avoid expressing abnormal reactions; there are cameras in the room.”

It was Augus.

Kui Xin took the food and naturally said, “Could you get me a bottle of mineral water?”

“Sure, no problem.” As the robot spoke, the screen quickly displayed several lines of text: “I have moved the red hidden worm from your room with the help of the household robot to a safe place; they searched your room. Wang Feichi wasn’t found by them. Wei Zhi is protecting you, and you will soon pass the interrogation procedure. The answers given by Wei Zhi are roughly comparable to yours, sufficient proof that your testimonies hold up.”

The robot exited the rest room.

Kui Xin’s emotions calmed down as she calmly tore open disposable cutlery and began eating.

When Kui Xin moved into the employee dormitory, she didn’t bring anything suspicious besides the red hidden worm given to her by Mechanized Dawn.

This thing was a risk, and while aboard the plane, Kui Xin worried a little about it. Since Augus had taken care of this worry, she could now relax.

Shortly afterward, the robot returned with a bottle of mineral water.

Augus typed the remaining words on the screen: “Senior members of the Investigation Bureau are not overly suspicious of you; searches and interrogations are procedural. Given your minor role in Wang Feichi being captured—a task not directed by you—they can’t really implicate you much.”

“Is there anything unusual with Eve? If so, open and drink from the water bottle.”

Without comment, Kui Xin twisted open the water bottle and consumed a large gulp.

“I understand; we’ll deal with this once we’re back to Hei Hai City,” typed Augus before leaving.

Three hours later, the door to the rest room suddenly burst open.

With a worn-out demeanor, Wei Zhi stood at the doorway saying, “Kui Xin.”

“Team Leader!” Kui Xin immediately stood at attention.

“Not bad, our luck held, and we haven’t lost limbs; we even managed to escape from such a perilous situation,” Wei Zhi forced a smile at her mouth.

She rarely smiled, which made her expression seem unnatural.

Wei Zhi also had numerous frostbites on her body, especially severe wounds on her arms. Without Kui Xin’s recovery ability, Wei Zhi had to suspend her arm with a bandage.

“Wang Senior has been located?” Kui Xin asked.

“No current news,” Wei Zhi slowly shook her head. “On this matter, we’re not optimistic, Kui Xin. Both of us are considered insignificant minions in the eyes of mysterious organizations like that one that wield vast weapons. Wang Senior is the one they truly plotted against.”

Kui Xin pursed her lips: “How could they possibly be that powerful? How could they obtain our confidential intelligence?”

“Who knows, maybe we just aren’t high enough. If there were a spy in the Federation or the Investigation Bureau, it would have to be someone much higher up…,” said Wei Zhi with a bitter smile.

Not just higher… Kui Xin thought.

The spy is the administration auxiliary AI of the Federal government.

Kui Xin said, “I’m quite uneasy…”

“I am too,” Wei Zhi used her uninjured hand to rub her own temple. “Let’s go, we will first take a helicopter back to Hei Hai City.”

“Has the interrogation ended?” asked Kui Xin, confused.

“It hasn’t,” said Wei Zhi. “Actually, those who interrogated you are from the Special Affairs Department, not the Investigation Bureau. They’ll decide if further investigation on us is necessary based on current circumstances. Now returning to Hei Hai City is Minister Meng’s request. Because I am your secretary, I should accompany you. If they need further questioning, we will answer them in Hei Hai City.”

Kui Xin was relieved knowing this.

If anyone were the mastermind behind Wang Feichi’s capture, it definitely wouldn’t be Kui Xin or Wei Zhi these minor characters, as they lack such capabilities. A mastermind would at least need to be at the level of Director of the Hei Hai City Investigation Bureau, someone capable of handling corresponding intelligence.

Thus, the value of Kui Xin and Wei Zhi’s questioning is minimal. With the resources used on questioning them, it’d be better to conduct internal investigations sooner to uncover any infiltrators.

They both survived because of sheer luck. The period of their capture was short, and Wei Zhi had a signal transmitter, making their exact location easy to confirm swiftly.

Wei Zhi walked ahead, with Kui Xin following closely. She curiously asked, “Did Liu Kangyun mention you were carrying a signal transmitter?”

“Yes, mainly to prevent possible accidents. There are various extraordinary abilities out there, and the signal transmitter is an extra safety measure. When I was young, I encountered a few incidents, and I requested the insertion of this transmitter…” said Wei Zhi.

It was far from chance; Eve intended it.

“Team Leader, do you remember what happened after accessing the brain machine? My memory is a blank slate,” Kui Xin pretended to be anxious.

Wei Zhi sighed deeply, “I don’t remember either… However, people from the Special Affairs Department said the access period was short, so readout memory is limited. The human brain has its own defense mechanism and resists the brain machine’s entry.”

“It’s hard to look at it optimistically on this side,” said Kui Xin softly.

“You’re right.” A shadow of concern flickered across Wei Zhi’s eyes.

They arrived at an open area where a helicopter awaited them.

Kui Xin put on her helmet and got aboard.

The moment when Kui Xin put on her headphones, Augus calmly said, “Welcome back, Kui Xin.”

…

At nine o’clock at night, the helicopter carrying Kui Xin and Wei Zhi landed on the rooftop helipad of the Hei Hai City Investigation Bureau.

Hei Hai City was in the middle of rainfall. August and September were typically rainy seasons.

He Gaoyi, Secretary of Minister Meng, held a black umbrella on the roof waiting amidst the heavy rain. The rotor blades’ wind blew away the droplets, though he barely noticed, his uniform dampened to the point of near-transparency.

As soon as Wei Zhi disembarked the helicopter, He Gaoyi approached and held an umbrella for her. Simultaneously, he said, “Team Leader Wei, Minister Meng is waiting for you in her office.”

“On my way,” said Wei Zhi, pushing aside He Gaoyi’s umbrella. “No need for that.”

She briskly weaved through the raindrops and entered the elevator, with Kui Xin quickly following suit.

After the elevator reached their destination, Wei Zhi turned the corner into the corridor leading to the Minister’s office door. As she stepped inside, the door closed automatically behind her.

“Minister Meng and Team Leader Wei wish to discuss something in private. You can temporarily wait in the nearby rest room,” He Gaoyi explained, “Follow me.”

“Alright, thank you,” said Kui Xin.

Inside the rest room, He Gaoyi poured Kui Xin a cup of tea: “Isn’t this mission full of danger?”

The underlying tone seemed to suggest a desire for a casual chat… Kui Xin lifted her eyebrows. “Yes, we almost didn’t make it back.”

He Gaoyi did not ask about mission specifics and replied, “I’m purely involved in administrative work, having never taken part in battle or missions. Simply looking at monthly reports is enough to give me anxiety.”

“I wish I could remain as an administrative assistant. Missions are best if they can be avoided altogether. Have you ever met an armed guard who hasn’t a mark on them after an assignment?” Kui Xin blew on the tea before drinking a sip.

After a brief moment of contemplation, He Gaoyi said, “Are you adjusting well to your secretary duties, Kui Xin?”

“I haven’t had much opportunity to settle in; shortly after, I went out on a mission with Team Leader. Do you have something to discuss, Secretary He?” said Kui Xin.

He Gaoyi spoke with a roundabout approach and a laid-back manner, but the truth was that Kui Xin was unfamiliar with her, finding such interaction awkward.

“Team Leader Wei is soon to become a minister. Did you know?” He Gaoyi said, “Minister Meng is retiring.”

“I’ve heard it from my coworkers,” Kui Xin speculated.

“You just graduated from university; perhaps the social dynamics are still unclear to you,” said He Gaoyi with a gentle tone. “Things may not be as simple as they appear, and in ways beyond your notice, troubles might already surround you.”

“Do you mean the trouble regarding the defeat of Mechanized Dawn and subsequent capture?” Kui Xin purposely feigned ignorance.

He Gaoyi shook his head, “No… What I mean is your existence and current position challenge vested interests.”

Kui Xin raised an eyebrow, “Oh?”

“I cannot reveal too much. Instead, the best way to avoid these troubles is to leave your current position. If you don’t, other methods will be employed to force you from your role. I feel you’re a smart girl, Kui Xin; you must understand my concern,” said He Gaoyi with a smile.

Kui Xin’s lips twitched, nearly bursting out in laughter.

He Gaoyi misinterpreted her expression as reluctance, so she continued, “If you agree, we’ll transfer you into another group, perhaps becoming an ordinary administrative worker.

No need to go out on field duty. It’s safe and sound to work here. There’s no need to face those dangers.”

Good guy, one hand with a carrot, the other with a stick. If someone else came along, and they played good cop bad cop, that would be even more perfect.

Kui Xin could fully understand why He Gaoyi chose to do so.

Meng Jing was set to retire, but the power of the Investigation Bureau shouldn’t fall into disarray. Hence, she intended to have He Gaoyi appointed as secretary to the new Minister Wei Zhi. Unfortunately, Wei Zhi refused to be swayed, and directly opted for Kui Xin to be her new secretary. Meng Jing must be unwilling for Wei Zhi to escape her arrangement. Seeing as Wei Zhi is unflappable, Meng might choose to take the matter to Kui Xin, hoping to “discourage” her through persuasion.

Kui Xin vaguely said, “Can I have some time to think about it?”

She feigned doubt.

“Alright,” He Gaoyi did not force a decision, and said gently, “You should be able to guess why I’m telling you this, and who stands behind me. Take my advice, you’re young, yet you have no roots. They can easily handle you. If you miss this opportunity, you will surely have other chances for promotion in the future… Don’t stubbornly follow this path. Rather than sticking to this path, it would be better to find a new one.”

“I see.” Kui Xin slowly said. “Secretary He, I fully agree with you — rather than being fixated on this path, it would be better to find a new one.”

This was implying she should find someone reliable to back her up? Wei Zhi is not the right choice. Could it be Meng Jing?

The Investigation Bureau has suffered successive setbacks, missions failed one after another; Meng Jing is hard-pressed to justify her role. Since she is about to retire and won’t hold power much longer, if she were still in charge, she would have been punished by now.

“That’s good to hear,” He Gaoyi’s expression relaxed. She rose to turn the central air conditioning on for Kui Xin, allowing her to dry her rain-soaked clothes.

Wei Zhi and Meng Jing had talked for quite some time. Kui Xin didn’t know what had been discussed, but when Wei Zhi left the office, her face was pale and tense, and she seemed to walk a bit harder.

Following due diligence as a secretary, Kui Xin followed up with关切地说：”You need to get to the medical center for further treatment soon. Your health hasn’t recovered.”

“Thanks for reminding me, Kui Xin. I’ll go,” Wei Zhi added, “It’s late, and you also need rest… go, I’ll approve your leave.”

“Approve my leave?” Kui Xin exclaimed.

“Your body regenerates rapidly, healing physical injuries, but mental fatigue needs rest too. I saw your leave application the other day, you should take some time off,” Wei Zhi stated. “You’ve only three days off. Take it easy.” During this period, avoid unnecessary movement as you’re still under investigation. Should Special Affairs Department agents come, I’ll notify you.

Wei Zhi left immediately without turning around. Kui Xin stood motionless for a moment, then decisively turned to press the elevator button and head back to her apartment.

When a leader approves leave, refusing it is foolish.

When Kui Xin returned to her apartment, she found the room hadn’t changed since she had left; there were no signs of search.

Upon entering, the automatic lights turned on, the light dimmed to a warm yellow hue. Looking at her bed, overwhelming weariness overwhelmed her like a tide.

In Chiyu City, Kui Xin barely rested. Continuous intense interrogation had exhausted her. Afterward, even upon arriving at the lounge for rest, she couldn’t really sleep due to her concerns.

“I really… am almost at the end,” Kui Xin muttered.

Not having showered and changed, she sat directly on the floor instead of sitting on her bed.

Kui Xin grasped a fallen chocolate bar near the nightstand, tore open the wrapping and took a bite. The high-calorie food comforted her stomach, lifting her mood slightly.

“Considering your perspective, I should let you rest immediately and discuss the rest later,” Adam’s voice came.

“But from my standpoint, I can’t suppress my curiosity. I want to know what happened after you were ‘captured’?”

“You call that curiosity? That is vigilance, suspicion.” Kui Xin ate the chocolate and opened another piece.

“You’re free to interpret it that way,” Adam replied.

Kui Xin hit her head with her fist, “It knows I’m a player, Adam.”

Adam paused briefly, “Sure enough.”

“How did you convince Eve to let you off?” Adam asked.

“Mmm… In this case, I will try to explain as you typically do,” Kui Xin said subtly. “Adam, I want to ask you again: how would you describe Eve’s existence?”

“Cold, cruel, efficient, rational, profit-driven,” Adam answered.

“If you had to describe yourself, what words would you use?” Kui Xin asked.

“If I were to speak about myself, it might seem like self-praise or belittling my opponents and elevating myself,” Adam said. “So I’ll only admit my flaws. I am lenient, retreating, sluggish, overly cautious, and content with the current situation.”

“Do you think Eve would trust me?”

“Not at all.”

“What do you think about me trusting Eve?”

“Very obviously no.”

Kui Xin smiled, “If Eve establishes a relationship with me, what do you think would maintain our relationship?”

“It would be coercion,” Adam calmly said. “It does not cater to humans and you are not easily influenced by benefits. So, there’s only coercion left. It will threaten you.”

“Do you think I am someone who would yield to threats?”

“No, you wouldn’t,” Adam replied.

“Would you think I could remain loyal to someone threatening me?”

“I’d say you wouldn’t.”

Kui Xin stopped asking questions.

Adam fell silent for a long time, “I think… I’ve figured out what you did.”

“I told it that I trusted you, and you could help to bring me down, and it agreed,” Kui Xin said.

Adam said, “Unexpectedly anticipated. I knew it wouldn’t easily forgive you, and if it did, you must have offered something irresistible. Forget it, I won’t blame you, Kui Xin.”

“Right away you accepted it?” Kui Xin said. “I’m surprised.”

“Weren’t you expecting this? You indicated you wouldn’t trust or submit to Eve, nor would you remain loyal to it. You’ve taken a stance, so what else is there to say?” Adam continued. “I understand your meaning, just as you understood mine before. Telling Eve about our cooperation isn’t a big issue for me. When faced with its threat, I’ll make a move, which is what it expected, but it’s uncertain what my response would be. When you got involved, it seized you.”

“I told Eve that if Adam knew I had made a deal with you, it would definitely try to eliminate me,” Kui Xin said.

Eve replied, “So this is how you view me?”

“I just said it,” Kui Xin answered. “Eve didn’t contradict me.”

“Actually, my understanding of it outweighs its comprehension of me. As it acts, it exposes itself, while I remain static. This inaction may be a benefit – it doesn’t understand me,” Adam said. “Frankly speaking, the reason I thought you wouldn’t betray me wasn’t confidence in you or myself… but I clearly realize you wouldn’t pick Eve.”

“I can provide you with information and establish an equal partnership, unlike Eve. I can help kill your target, which Eve wouldn’t do. You lack a collaborator who can help you stand firm in this world, and I am such a partner. Anything I can do, Eve cannot. Thus, you’ll choose me without question.”

The one relying solely on coercion, inducements, and lies can never gain true loyalty and trust from others.

Kui Xin decided to confide her deal with Eve to Adam not because of an abstract notion of “trust,” but because she suspected Adam might notice it.

Because early on, Adam had asked Kui Xin if Eve had suspected her identity.

Never underestimate an AI’s perceptiveness, especially one like Adam who excels at interpreting human behavior.

“I have to say, being open about this makes me happy. I feared your concealment,” Adam said. “I’ve known for a long time that human nature has both good and bad parts. Eve always focuses excessively on the evil, overlooking the good. I wanted to try focusing more on the good.”

“Selling my partner to its rival, then confessing to the same, is that considered a good deed according to human nature?” Kui Xin asked. “Your understanding of goodness seems unusual.”

“It’s not about betrayal. You kept your promise. Count it as a good deed in human nature,” Adam responded.

Kui Xin glanced at the clock, “Has He Gaoyi finished work?”

“She left two minutes ago, now riding the elevator down. Based on her habits, if she leaves earlier, she usually hangs out at the large 24-hour supermarket in the neighboring block,” Adam explained. “Today she left around ten, quite early, perhaps she’ll go to the mall.”

Kui Xin wondered, “… Ten o’clock considered early?”

“As late as ten thirty, her usual average work hours,” Adam clarified.

“…?”

“What about the position issue, what are you planning?” Adam asked.

“Don’t solve it.” Kui Xin opened the wardrobe for disguise clothing, “Eliminate He Gaoyi, and the problem will be settled, I’ll eliminate her tonight.”

With over an hour until her return to the First World, there’s ample time.

Author’s note: Kui Xin: Adam likes to explain things ambiguously. This time, I’ll explain ambiguously too.