Chapter 158: The Day the Code Fell in Love (28)

Sixty-seven answered calmly, “I detected that they were armed. By analyzing their microexpressions during communication, I predicted they would try to take Miss Bai hostage to escape. To ensure her safety, I chose to end their lives within the permitted regulations.”

Everyone instinctively looked at Bai Yao.

She was well protected by Twenty-three and hadn’t witnessed the bloody scene. The tall, young figure nearly enveloped her entirely, highlighting that she was the only ordinary person present.

If those desperate fugitives really intended to seize a hostage to flee, they would undoubtedly choose Bai Yao.

After all, her identity was special, and among everyone present, she posed the least threat.

Military androids differ from civilian ones because the former often face battles and enemies on the frontlines. Their Three Laws differ accordingly—they are permitted to end an enemy’s life to protect civilians.

Someone inspected the bodies and indeed found weapons hidden on them.

No one doubted the computational power of the manipUlatOr system, and Sixty-seven was equipped with the latest generation of this system.

Frankly, no one felt sympathy for the slain bandits.

Bai Yao’s vision went dark, but she could hear the conversations outside. With her sight gone, her hearing grew sharper. The voice speaking belonged to Sixty-seven, identical to Twenty-three’s.

At that moment, someone hurried over.

Van Gogh supported Ruan Jiaojiao, who was clutching her abdomen; both looked disheveled, and Van Gogh bore numerous wounds, his appearance alarming. He said anxiously, “There’s a pregnant woman here!”

Pregnant women in this era were as rare and precious as protected species.

A medic quickly took Ruan Jiaojiao to the ship’s medical bay for treatment.

The commander asked Van Gogh, “Deputy Van, where is Commander Li?”

Van Gogh’s face darkened. He said, “Commander Li has been parasitized by the planet’s creatures, losing his sanity and mutating. He now attacks anyone he sees. Amid the chaos, I have no idea where he’s gone.”

Though Li Shenchuo was cold and ruthless, contemptuous of those weaker than himself, and didn’t regard the Second Fleet’s commander highly, they were still colleagues. So the Second Fleet left a team behind to search for Li Shenchuo while the rest boarded the ship to return.

Li Shenchuo was arrogant and disdainful, caring only for Ruan Jiaojiao, whom he treasured above all. He had offended many, and Deputy Van often cleaned up his messes behind the scenes.

Inside the medical bay,

The Second Fleet commander admired such a responsible deputy and tried to persuade Van Gogh to join their fleet.

Van Gogh was unsure how to respond.

Hua Xin, wrapped in bandages, heard this and said, “Van Gogh can join my squad too.”

Gu Mohan, lying on the hospital bed, looked up. “What do you mean by ‘my squad’?”

Hua Xin said, “Once we return, I plan to apply to form a squad of my own; I need a deputy.”

Gu Mohan was stunned.

Hua Xin had always performed well in tasks. Even without the Hua family’s backing, her application to form a squad would surely be approved.

Hua Xin looked at Van Gogh. “Aside from your mediocre marksmanship, you’re good at everything else. How about it? Want to join me?”

Van Gogh hesitated at first but, under Gu Mohan’s intimidating gaze, a rebellious impulse overcame him. He immediately nodded, “Alright!”

Gu Mohan’s face darkened.

Bai Yao took a shower, changed into clean clothes, and stepped out of the bathroom. Just as she put on her wristband and reconnected, the little girl hologram popped up.

She cheerfully said, “Sister, sister, in just eighteen hours and forty-five minutes, we’ll be back on Blue-White Star!”

Bai Yao sat down, drying her hair with a hairdryer. “I know.”

The hologram, barefoot on the floor, walked gently over to lean against Bai Yao, wrapping her arms around her waist, gazing up at her with deep affection.

Of course, she was only a hologram; any “contact” brought no real sensation.

Bai Yao found it odd; she didn’t remember setting the wristband’s AI to be clingy. “Is something wrong with you?”

The girl blinked innocently. “No, I just haven’t seen you for so long. I miss you so much.”

Bai Yao eyed her skeptically, suspecting the system might have updated during her offline period.

The girl sweetly said, “Sister, I really want to get back to Blue-White Star quickly. We have a huge surprise for you!”

The “we” she referred to was likely Bai Yao’s father.

After all, this intelligent wristband was custom-made by Mr. Bai for Bai Yao.

A knock sounded at the door.

The little girl pouted unhappily and vanished.

Bai Yao put down the hairdryer and opened the door.

Twenty-three held a small flowerpot. Seeing Bai Yao, his eyes brightened with joy. “Yao Yao, it has new buds again.”

Beneath the already bloomed moonstone white rose, a small bud hid among the green leaves.

The flower seemed very important to him. He eagerly brought it to share with her, handling it carefully. “I’ll take good care of it. It will bloom into an even more beautiful flower. Yao Yao, the flower is still here—I’ve been carrying it with me. Please keep watching over me, okay?”

Just like before, when the Conqueror was destroyed, she saw the boy carrying that pot of flowers and let him into her escape pod.

She had said that if he hadn’t brought that flower pot, she wouldn’t have cared about him at all.

So Twenty-three had always protected this flower well, just like Shi Jiu.

Bai Yao looked at him for a long moment and said, “Before we left the desolate planet, you and I saw that Shi Jiu’s body was destroyed—he no longer exists.”

Twenty-three’s expression grew fragile, as if on the verge of tears. “Yao Yao, I still love you.”

Her tone was calm. “When you mentioned the word ‘sharing,’ I suddenly thought of a question.”

His dark, glossy eyes locked onto hers.

She said, “Do androids truly experience love? Or are you just responding to my emotions based on calculated feedback?”

Like entering a number on a phone’s input method and seeing a number appear on the screen.

She expressed love for him, so he reciprocated with ‘love.’

Twenty-three stared blankly at her. “Yao Yao, are you denying everything about us?”

Bai Yao sighed calmly, “I don’t know yet. I need time to think clearly. Twenty-three, you are Twenty-three, not a substitute for anyone. I don’t want to look at you with the eyes I had for Shi Jiu—that’s unfair to you. So you don’t need to keep mimicking Shi Jiu’s expressions and tone with me.”

“Yao Yao… Yao Yao…” He stepped forward helplessly, lowering his head to kiss her.

But Bai Yao pressed her hand against his chest. “It’s very late. You should go rest.”

She pushed him out and closed the door.

Twenty-three stood outside, clutching the flowerpot, utterly confused.

He didn’t care who he was; after all, his actions were just lines of code. No one cared whose code it was. If Bai Yao wanted Shi Jiu, then he would become Shi Jiu.

He didn’t understand why Bai Yao separated him so clearly from Shi Jiu.

She could have continued loving him as before.

Somewhere down the corridor, a figure identical to Twenty-three appeared without anyone noticing.

Twenty-three looked up and met Sixty-seven’s gaze; both pairs of eyes glowed with the same crimson light.

After a moment,

Sixty-seven said, “Yao Yao prefers Shi Jiu, then we will become Shi Jiu.”