Chapter 128

Chapter 128: Artificial Soul 55

“Money isn’t an issue. Don’t treat me like a fool.” Kui Xin said.

The doctor responded, “Huh, honesty is also important in our line of work. I don’t want to get assassinated by an enemy at midnight. Making friends is better than making enemies, so I need to be clear about my rules ahead of time. You can decide if you want to continue.”

Kui Xin scrutinized him, “That’s quite reasonable. Do you bill in gold or digital currency here?”

“Half and half,” the doctor said. “Gold is hard to spend, while digital currency is transferred to a private unregistered account.”

“I need to confirm whether you have the capability to perform this surgery,” Kui Xin stated.

“Oh!” The doctor laughed. “Your condition isn’t ordinary.”

He stood up from his seat, went to the front of the clinic, hung a ‘Closed’ sign on the door, then pulled down the roller shutter.

“Now there’s no one around. Tell me your situation, and I’ll examine you to decide on performing the surgery,” the doctor said with a smile.

“My skull was replaced with metallic, and now I want to remove it and replace it with something new,” Kui Xin explained.

The doctor replied, “There are testing instruments on the second underground floor. Follow me, I’ll check you out.”

He turned and opened a skewed door behind the clinic, revealing an underground passage and walked straight down.

Kui Xin inspected the underground passage and followed him.

The equipment on the second underground level was somewhat old, but well-maintained.

“These testing instruments are old models from the market; although they’re old, their results aren’t inaccurate, just bulkier. Now, the instruments are fancy but ten times more expensive,” said the doctor, turning on the equipment and motioning for Kui Xin to sit in the chair.

A beam of light scanned Kui Xin’s head, producing a quick printout of the image.

The doctor glanced at the images, muttering, “This is a little tricky. Your metal skull comprises a large portion of your total skull size. It’s all metallic from the frontal bone to the parietal, so it is possible, but…” — he paused — “It’ll cost extra.”

“Can you find suitable bone implants here for me?” Kui Xin asked.

“There are two types: metal and ceramic. Metal ones are costly, while ceramic ones are cheaper,” the doctor replied, flashing a big grin. “Which one do you prefer?”

“Metal,” Kui Xin said.

“Certainly,” the doctor continued, “I will test some data shortly. We’ll schedule the surgery and payment, then you can pay half the deposit upfront, and the rest after the operation. What do you think?”

“Fine with me.” Kui Xin nodded. “But there’s one thing that confuses me. Do you perform surgery on everyone regardless?”

The doctor glanced at Kui Xin sensitively, replying, “A few times patients’ enemies approached me. If that’s what you’re referring to, I’m not too concerned, but—”

“You want more money?” Kui Xin finished.

“Of course! Clients like you make everything simpler! Our illegal clinics lack business licenses. Every day is uncertain; one report and the shop goes away, and the person might go to prison. Life is risky; naturally, I aim to make money while I still can! Money solves many issues.”

“There’s another thing, will you keep this confidential?” Kui Xin asked.

“Don’t you fret, once you’ve paid, you are our esteemed customer. Naturally, we respect our customers’ privacy,” the doctor replied smoothly, “and as long as I’m here with the clinic, I won’t run off. If I were the kind to blabber, I wouldn’t still be in the West District.”

“How soon could you start the surgery?” Kui Xin inquired.

“Do you need it urgently? If so, it is possible tonight. Metal bones are available in the warehouse, ready for adjustments and installation,” the doctor said.

Patients rushed in needing quick treatment, everyone knew that prolonged delays increased potential risks.

Kui Xin’s data manipulation wasn’t always on; Adam used earphones to communicate with her.

“Replacing your bones tonight seems hasty,” Adam said. “What if it triggers some reaction—”

“If you have a better plan, let me hear it,” Kui Xin connected to her intelligent earphone.

“I’m in thought. Removing it might trigger a reaction. Keeping it might delay crucial next steps,” Adam replied.

“Do you know Schrödinger’s cat?” Kui Xin queried. “In two worlds, though culturally similar, there are significant differences.”

Adam responded, “I’m not familiar. Could you elaborate?”

“It might seem complex… essentially, a cat’s生死状态未确定