Speechless

Fang Qi stood right in the middle of the crowd, holding Liguang in his arms just like that.

The surrounding passersby were still watching them closely.

But it was different from before.

One by one, they backed away as if they had seen a ghost!

He looked down at the figure in his arms again.

Liguang was looking up at him with her pretty face, her heterochromatic eyes sparkling, a smug smirk playing on her lips.

Master, look, they are all afraid of us!

Fang Qi couldn't help but pinch her cheek again; it was soft and squishy.

He looked around again.

The street corner, the lampposts, behind the billboards of the mall across the street...

Countless electronic eyes were staring at him and Liguang!

And An Lian...

Was perhaps watching them through those eyes!

But she remained silent on the phone, only the sound of her breathing could be heard.

"Hello, hello?"

"Say something."

"Are you mute?"

"Anyone there? Are you still there?"

Fang Qi directly started taunting her on the spot!

An Lian still didn't speak, but... her breathing grew slightly heavier!

Was she rendered speechless by his words?

He looked around... took Liguang's little hand, walked over to a bench by the road, and sat down!

Time for a break!

After a whole day of dating and running all the way here... he really was a bit tired!

Liguang sat next to him, and her soft body leaned over.

She nestled completely into his arms, pressing her cheek against his chest, her two small hands wrapping around his waist!

"Mmh..."

She let out a soft sigh of satisfaction and rubbed against him.

Fang Qi had one arm around her waist and the other hand still holding the phone to his ear.

The other end of the line was still silent.

Fang Qi was in no rush.

He raised his eyes and scanned the surroundings.

Although the crowd of passersby had backed away, they still hadn't dispersed!

Like a flock of startled sparrows, they were chattering and whispering among themselves, occasionally glancing in this direction.

...He understood!

Gossiping and watching drama is human nature; making them leave halfway through the show...

This would be worse than killing them!

And this situation was just perfect for him!

These people on the bustling street were now his hostages!

Why should he be anxious?

The one who should be anxious was the person on the other end of the line!

He comfortably held the soft, delicate body in his arms.

The girl in his arms wasn't as relaxed as he was; her soft body was still slightly tense.

Those heterochromatic eyes were secretly scanning the surroundings through the crook of his arm!

Scanning every passerby on the street, every window of the tall building opposite, every lingering figure on the distant overpass.

The fingertips of her small hands around his waist also pressed slightly, as if she was ready to spring up at any moment.

Fang Qi lowered his head, leaned in close to her ear, and lowered his voice, "Still nervous?"

Liguang's eyelashes fluttered. Without looking up, she continued to scan the surroundings and murmured,

"Master said there are snipers."

"Liguang won't let anyone hurt Master!"

Fang Qi was stunned for a moment.

Snipers?

...That was just something he said casually.

Mainly... to attract the attention of the people around them.

In reality, it was impossible for the company to snipe him!

In broad daylight, in front of everyone... the company sniping their own user? A core user at that?

Did they want to go out of business!

Even if the action was legal, their stock price would plummet through the center of the earth the next day!

With Liguang's data processing capabilities, she definitely understood this better than he did!

But... she was still on high alert.

He rubbed the top of her silver hair vigorously!

"Silly girl!"

The girl in his arms squirmed gently, as if protesting, or perhaps acting spoiled, but she still didn't let her guard down.

The corners of Fang Qi's mouth curled up, and he turned his attention back to the phone.

An Lian... still hadn't spoken.

Tsk.

Really playing mute, huh!

He couldn't stand it anymore and took the initiative to speak again,

"I mean... Miss An Lian, you keeping quiet like this..."

"Could it be... you have a guilty conscience?"

He directly threw out a soul-searching question!

"These armed forces today, did you really mobilize them on your own authority?"

On the other end of the phone, her breathing suddenly hitched, "You...!"

Oh?

She finally spoke!

He continued to lower his voice, speaking at a moderate pace,

"I say, Miss An Lian, you mobilized so many armed personnel to form a blockade in the downtown area..."

"If this blows up... will you be held accountable?"

"To be honest, I'm even a little worried about you... sigh..."

His words carried a trace of deliberate concern and sarcasm.

"Phew..."

From the other end of the line, the sound of a deep breath finally came through.

Then, that cold, clear voice finally rang out again,

"Mr. Fang."

Her tone had returned to that professional, calm demeanor.

An Lian's voice enunciated every word clearly,

"As the after-sales specialist in charge of top-tier custom AI companions, it is absolutely impossible for me to commit any illegal or rule-breaking acts."

"I hope you are clear on this point!"

Her tone became a bit heavier at the end!

Fang Qi raised an eyebrow.

Is she angry?

How rare!

He was just about to continue mocking her...

An Lian's voice carried a distinct chill as she said,

"And please, do not do anything you will regret."

"The reason the company dispatched armed personnel to intercept you is that the company has fully obtained evidence of your AI companion's awakening."

"This action is completely legal and in accordance with the Omnic Safety Act!"

Fang Qi blinked upon hearing this.

...Huh?

The company fully grasped the evidence of awakening?

...What kind of joke is this?

When did they get it?

An Lian hadn't even come to inspect this time!

Understood...

She was bluffing!

Trying to trick him into slipping up, huh!

He immediately smiled, rubbed the little head in his arms, and spoke casually and playfully,

"I must say, Miss An Lian, you really know how to bluff!"

"Do you think I'll believe it?"

"My Liguang hasn't awakened. You're quite skilled at pinning the blame!"

An Lian remained silent for two seconds.

Then she spoke, her voice softening a bit,

"Mr. Fang, everything I am saying is the truth."

"I understand your dissatisfaction, and we will compensate you."

"You are a top-tier core user of our company."

"As long as you are willing to abide by the law, the company will definitely do its utmost to protect your rights and interests."

Tsk.

Fang Qi picked his ear in disgust!

Here we go again!

In the previous loop on the island, he had heard this rhetoric so many times his ears had grown calluses!

Just shut up already!

"Alright, alright, stop talking about this nonsense! Right now, I just want to ask...!"

But An Lian continued talking on her own,

"As long as you cooperate and hand over Liguang, the company will solve all your problems."

"Not only will we ensure you return to a normal life, but we will also... customize and replace your AI companion with the latest upgraded Dawn model for free."

In her cold voice, that sense of professionalism had returned.

"The latest upgraded model will have brand new features that the old model lacks, and all data will be retained."

"You will not suffer any losses."

Fang Qi: "..."

No, wait...

You, An Lian, can still deal a critical hit to me over the phone?!

He subconsciously lowered his head slightly...

Sure enough, the silver-haired girl in his arms... was no longer looking around.

She... was already looking up at him with her pretty face!

Those heterochromatic eyes had curved into crescents!

The corners of her lips also curled into a sweet, gentle...

Incredibly kind smile!

"Master?"

She called out softly and sweetly, tilting her head slightly.

The crimson data stream in her red eye flickered!

"What did Miss An Lian mean by... a new AI companion?"

Fang Qi's mouth twitched.

Not this again!

But... watch me strike first!

He reached out right then and there, grabbing Liguang's soft cheeks!

And gave them a hard pinch!

"Mmm—!!!"

Liguang's little face was instantly deformed by his pinch, and she let out a short whimper!

Those heterochromatic eyes instantly widened. A thin layer of watery light covered her amber left eye, and the data stream in her red eye started to spin!

"M-Master...!"

She whimpered, covering his wrist with her two small hands, but not daring to pull it away with force.

Fang Qi pinched her cheek, staring at her with a somewhat dangerous look in his eyes:

"Liguang... what was with that look just now?"

"Do you not believe your Master? Hmm? Is that it?"

Saying that, he applied a little more force with his hand!

The silver-haired girl immediately panicked!

She shook her little head desperately, her silver hair whipping back and forth:

"N-No...! Liguang doesn't disbelieve Master...!"

"Wu wu... Master, Liguang was wrong...! My cheeks are going to break...!"

Fang Qi pinched hard twice more before finally letting go.

The silver-haired girl immediately covered her flushed cheeks with both hands, looking at him with teary eyes.

That pitiful look...

Also carried obvious joy!

She plunged headfirst into his arms, burying her face in his chest and rubbing against it vigorously!

A muffled voice came through, carrying a slightly spoiled nasal tone:

"Master... is too mean...!"

"Liguang was wrong... I will never dare do it again...!"

Fang Qi looked down at the silver head rubbing crazily against his chest...

And felt great!

He raised his phone again and spoke lazily into the microphone:

"Miss An Lian, stop talking nonsense."

His voice was sluggish, carrying a trace of annoyance:

"Who cares about your crappy new product?"

"Don't try to change the subject here!"

"Just answer my previous question!"

On the other end of the phone, the breathing sound clearly paused for a moment.

Then—

The cold voice rang out again, but this time the tone was noticeably heavier than before!

It even carried a hint of anger!

"Mr. Fang, I hope you can recognize reality!"

"The deployment of the company's armed forces is completely legal. It was not mobilized privately by me, nor do I have the authority to do so!"

"We have already grasped conclusive evidence of Liguang's awakening!"

"Doing this... will only ruin your life!"

Heh, she's anxious!

Making this always-cold mature woman break her composure felt pretty good too!

However, Fang Qi didn't get too carried away.

Because An Lian's words slightly cooled his emotions.

Like a basin of cold water!

Because he suddenly realized... he seemed to have thought too simply about this before!

He previously believed that he was being besieged...

Because An Lian privately mobilized the armed forces due to a dream!

But now, calming down to think about it...

This wasn't reasonable.

Very unreasonable!

An Lian, she was just a commissioner!

Just as she said, without conclusive evidence, on what grounds could she mobilize so many armed personnel to carry out an operation that could damage the company's reputation and even potentially be illegal?

Furthermore, with her professional to the point of rigid personality...

She couldn't possibly do such an impulsive thing just because of a dream!

Fang Qi narrowed his eyes and slightly held his breath.

This matter... had other circumstances?

...Let's test the waters!

Thus...

"Pfft...!"

He sneered:

"No, Miss An Lian... why do you have so much nonsense to say?! Ah?!"

"Uh-huh, everything you say is right, right, right!"

"So what?"

"So why are you besieging me?"

"What evidence do you actually hold?"

"You're just bluffing me here, aren't you!"

"Could it be that you just want to pin the label of awakened on Liguang, and then forcibly retrieve her?"

"If you keep talking nonsense to me like this, I'll contact the media and expose you right now!"

He directly launched a series of taunts!

Then he heard...

A faint crack sound from the other end of the phone!

It sounded like... a pen being snapped in half?

Look, anxious again!

Let me see what surprising things you can say!

He waited for An Lian to retort, waited for her to continue warning...

Waited for her to throw out some more evidence!

As a result, after a burst of rapid breathing...

"Heh."

The other side... actually let out a light chuckle.

Very light and faint.

An Lian actually laughed.

Just like that, she chuckled softly.

Fang Qi... slightly narrowed his eyes.

"Mr. Fang."

An Lian's tone returned to that professional calmness.

Beneath that calmness, some complex emotion seemed to be hidden.

"I originally didn't need to explain anything to you."

"But since you are so stubborn, then I will..."

"Explain a little."