Chapter 147: The Day the Code Fell in Love (17)

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In dangerous situations, synthetics establish connections with one another to share the information they possess, while military synthetics are granted greater access to information-gathering systems.

They need that information to assess the dangers they might encounter.

That was why Twenty-Three had accessed Shi Jiu’s database. Yet hidden within it was another data package.

Judging by the way Bai Yao looked at Shi Jiu, the two of them were very close. There was no way Shi Jiu could be unaware of Bai Yao’s identity.

And yet Twenty-Three had found no information about Bai Yao in Shi Jiu’s database.

That contradicted the logic instilled in them by their programming.

So Twenty-Three said, “You’re malfunctioning.”

He reached toward Shi Jiu’s eyes. Tiny, ghostly blue patterns emerged across the fingertip aimed directly at them.

With his higher classification and greater authority, Twenty-Three could repair the programming of lower-grade synthetics.

But before he could get close to Shi Jiu, the girl caught hold of his hand.

Twenty-Three lowered his eyes. His black gaze settled on Bai Yao, and a faint blue light flashed rapidly within them—the loading phenomenon that appeared only when he was operating at extreme speed.

Clearly, he was searching through his enormous database to analyze the meaning behind this human’s behavior.

But before he could reach a conclusion, Bai Yao had already spoken.

“Don’t touch him.”

Twenty-Three tilted his head slightly, his expression unexpectedly blank.

The next second, the boy took Bai Yao’s hand back from him.

Shi Jiu rubbed Bai Yao’s hand, apparently in a good mood, and said to Twenty-Three, “I’m not malfunctioning. I don’t need repairs.”

Ruan Jiaojiao cried out in disbelief, “Shi Jiu, you’re a synthetic?”

She was not the only one shocked. Li Shenjue and Fan Gu were stunned as well.

Whenever Shi Jiu had appeared before them, he had seemed withdrawn and taciturn, no different from an ordinary socially anxious boy.

He had no family, so he had been deeply dependent on Ruan Jiaojiao, whom he called “Big Sister.” Li Shenjue had even been jealous because Shi Jiu and Ruan Jiaojiao were so close.

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They had never once suspected Shi Jiu’s identity. At one point, Ruan Jiaojiao had even believed he had died aboard the spaceship and had been devastated.

It had never occurred to them that Shi Jiu was merely a synthetic.

The people on Gu Mohan’s side, meanwhile, found the whole thing baffling. Li Shenjue was a prominent figure, after all—why was he so astonished by the identity of a synthetic?

Shi Jiu said, “I never said I was human.”

Of course, he had never said he was a synthetic, either.

Synthetics were forbidden from lying to humans. If anyone asked him whether he was a synthetic, he would have no choice but to answer honestly.

But no one had asked him that question.

In the minds of humans, a synthetic could not possibly conceal its identity.

Li Shenjue’s brow furrowed. He stepped forward, his entire presence cold and forbidding. “What’s your serial number? Who is your owner? Which engineer created you? And what was your purpose in approaching us?”

One hand had already reached his sidearm. It was not that he was being needlessly suspicious; the slightest lapse in caution could allow the enemy’s scheme to succeed.

Gu Mohan’s people were also scrutinizing Shi Jiu and Bai Yao warily. If anything seemed amiss, he would have to intervene as well.

Bai Yao folded her arms, undisguised disdain in her beautiful eyes. “Have you forgotten who just saved you?”

Li Shenjue looked at her. “Bai Yao, after the spaceship was attacked, you appeared here with him. Do you really expect me to believe that was merely a coincidence?”

Bai Yao smiled. “So you think I was capable of predicting that you would come here, then waiting on this barren planet with some kind of conspiracy in mind?”

Li Shenjue was speechless for a moment, but he soon found another argument. “Who knows whether he was sent by the enemy as a disguised synthetic? My movements were exposed before, and my spaceship was attacked. Perhaps he was the one who leaked the information.”

Ruan Jiaojiao spoke excitedly. “No! I don’t believe Shi Jiu is a synthetic!”

She still remembered what had happened on Planet M42. The planet had been on the verge of disintegrating, explosions erupting everywhere, and Shi Jiu had saved her several times.

They had endured one life-or-death crisis after another together, yet neither had ever abandoned the other. That was why their bond had become so strong.

From M42 to Li Shenjue’s spaceship, the two siblings had survived countless hardships together and formed such a profound attachment. Shi Jiu had depended on her so completely—how could she believe that all of it had merely been a synthetic deceiving her?

Gu Mohan clicked his tongue. “I really don’t see what there is to agonize over. Just have Twenty-Three scan him from the inside out. If this synthetic really has some dangerous mission, Twenty-Three will certainly detect it.”

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Twenty-Three said, “There is a hidden data package in his database that I am not authorized to access.”

Everyone turned to look at Shi Jiu.

Shi Jiu said, “If I open all my data to him, and he confirms that I’m not dangerous, will you stop dwelling on my identity?”

Gu Mohan gave his answer. “If there’s no problem, then of course there’s nothing to worry about.”

Bai Yao was about to say something, but Shi Jiu held her hand and lowered his head to speak to her. “Yao Yao, it’s fine.”

Then he said to Gu Mohan, “All right.”

Gu Mohan called out, “Twenty-Three.”

Twenty-Three raised his eyes and met Shi Jiu’s gaze.

A faint blue light flickered in both their eyes. They were connecting and transmitting data.

Li Shenjue looked at Bai Yao and Shi Jiu holding hands, his brows drawn tightly together. It was not unusual for young people nowadays to associate with synthetics. After all, the adult mode installed in synthetics had become a selling point in manufacturers’ advertising, and there was nothing illegal about it.

But for Bai Yao to make no effort to hide it in front of everyone was simply shameless.

Could she really think there was something glorious about getting involved with a synthetic?

The data transmission between Shi Jiu and Twenty-Three continued. When the hidden data package in Shi Jiu’s database fully unfolded, the blue glow in Twenty-Three’s eyes stuttered.

It was like a computer from the twenty-first century suddenly freezing. But the interruption lasted only an instant before the light in Twenty-Three’s eyes returned to normal.

He turned and said to Gu Mohan, “Latest-generation domestic synthetic. Manufactured at the Paradise Island Company factory on Planet M42. When M42 unexpectedly disintegrated, he encountered Miss Ruan in danger amid the chaos and rescued her. His actions were consistent with his programming. Everything is normal. No malfunction detected.”

Gu Mohan sounded relaxed. “Twenty-Three has finished his inspection and found no problems. Li Shenjue, you can stop looking so grim.”

Li Shenjue cast Gu Mohan an unhappy glance, but in the end, he lowered the hand resting on his weapon.

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