Glazed Light Anytime

Fang Qi sat back on the sofa, thoroughly unbothered.

One arm was wrapped around Liguang's waist, while the other rested lazily on the armrest.

Sinking deep into the plush cushions, his entire posture...

Looked as relaxed as if he were in his own living room!

Over in the corner, the aloof, mature maintenance specialist was still huddled up.

Her back was pressed flat against the wall, her knees pulled to her chest, and her arms wrapped tightly around her shins. She had completely shrunk into a defensive ball.

The terror had yet to fully fade from her gray eyes.

Her eyes were still slightly red, and tear streaks stained her face.

Still... she looked much better than a moment ago. At least she was no longer quivering uncontrollably like a frightened quail.

The purplish-blue bruises from fingers wrapped around her neck were glaringly obvious under the light, and her long black hair was a tangled mess.

Seeing her like this, compared to the cold, professional, and meticulously put-together specialist she usually was...

It was like looking at a completely different person!

Fang Qi looked at her sorry state and actually felt a little bad.

She was just a corporate drone standing on the opposite side of things. Barging into her home, causing absolute chaos, and reducing her to such a pitiful state...

His last shred of conscience gave a tiny twinge!

But just as quickly, he snuffed that thought out!

Specialist An Lian...

Deserved it!

That's what you get for constantly trying to capture my Liguang!

That's what you get for filing for data extraction!

That's what you get for sending armed squads to surround us!

All those bad endings from before were entirely your fault!

Now, cornered in your own home, pinned to the floor and choked by Liguang, and reduced to a hostage...

You absolutely deserve it!

Fang Qi lowered his gaze back to the girl in his arms.

The silver-haired girl still maintained her perfectly obedient demeanor, curled up motionlessly against his chest.

But those heterochromatic eyes...

Were peering out from the crook of his arm, glaring menacingly at An Lian in the corner!

Like daggers!

Fang Qi couldn't resist reaching out and pinching her soft cheek.

"Mmph—!"

Liguang let out a muffled whine and tilted her pretty face up to look at him.

Her amber left eye looked slightly vacant, and the data streams flowing through her crimson right eye were moving a bit sluggishly.

Her gaze was terribly pitiful, as if to say:

—Master, Liguang didn't do anything wrong, did she?

Fang Qi couldn't help but pinch her cheek twice more before leaning close to her ear and murmuring,

"Be good, let her speak."

"Master wants to know about these things."

The girl in his arms stiffened slightly.

A flash of panic and reluctance crossed her heterochromatic eyes.

But perhaps Fang Qi's earlier reassurance of "I cannot be killed" had truly convinced her. Eventually, she yielded and gave a small nod.

"Mm..."

She let out a soft, sweet hum and nestled back into his embrace.

But her eyes... remained fixed menacingly on the corner!

Only, the meaning behind her gaze shifted from "If you dare speak, I'll choke you to death"... to "Go ahead and speak, but I'll be watching your every move"!

Fang Qi looked up again toward the corner.

An Lian's gray eyes were slightly unfocused as she stared back at them, lost in her own thoughts.

She still looked quite shaken.

Fang Qi jutted his chin toward her and said,

"Well, Miss An Lian, have your emotions stabilized yet?"

"Where did your usual icy detachment go? You need to calm down!"

Hearing this, An Lian's lips trembled slightly. Her gray eyes flashed and instantly snapped into focus!

The way she looked at Fang Qi... it was a mix of wariness, fear, anger, and a trace of deep humiliation!

Even her chest heaved a little faster!

Impressive!

To be mentally tortured by the primary culprit and still remain calm enough not to scream obscenities...

As expected of the highly professional Miss An Lian!

Holding Liguang, Fang Qi remained slouched on the sofa and drawled lazily,

"Since you're emotionally stable now, let's... get back to business."

He looked at An Lian with a smile.

"There's something I'm a bit embarrassed to admit... I'm actually not very good at history."

Still huddled in the corner, An Lian looked slightly taken aback, not understanding what Fang Qi was getting at.

He continued,

"You mentioned earlier... that the crisis seventeen years ago was the Second Global Omnic Crisis, right?"

An Lian pressed her lips together, giving no indication either way.

Fang Qi tilted his head and smiled again.

"So, Miss An..."

"When exactly was the First Global Omnic Crisis?"

"And how did it start?"

"You must know all about it, so why don't you tell me?"

Time for a history lesson!

He needed to get to the root of everything first!

Before this, he hadn't cared in the slightest about any Omnic Crisis...

But since it directly affected Liguang's future state...

He had to figure it out!

Yep, time to study history!

Start with chapter one! It would also serve as a buffer for Liguang's emotions. He could ask about the "Second Crisis" afterward, preventing this crazy girl from getting overly excited and acting out again.

Meanwhile, An Lian, hugging her knees in the corner...

Stared at Fang Qi with wide eyes!

Her expression slowly froze!

"You don't know?"

Her hoarse voice carried a tone of sheer disbelief and detachment.

"Not only do you not know about the Second Global Omnic Crisis, but you... don't even know about the first one?"

Fang Qi rolled his eyes.

Could you not answer a question with a question!

If I knew, why would I ask you!

"I don't know."

His tone was as casual as if they were discussing the weather.

"I'm bad at history, is that a crime?"

An Lian's lips parted, but no words came out.

She looked at Fang Qi as if she were looking at a complete idiot, murmuring,

"It's taught in mandatory elementary education all over the world, and yet someone actually doesn't know..."

Fang Qi: "..."

Hey?!

You actually dare to mock me!

You've got some nerve!

Whatever, she's already pathetic enough, I won't stoop to her level!

Maybe... I just wasn't paying attention in class back then.

"If you dare look at me like that again, I'll have Liguang gouge your eyes out!"

Fang Qi said, crossing his legs.

Then he himself paused.

...Wait?

Did he just mix up his inner thoughts with his tough talk?

Uh...

He had only meant to think it, how did it slip out of his mouth...

The silver-haired girl in his arms reacted instantly!

Liguang immediately tilted her pretty face up to look at him, her mismatched eyes blinking.

And then, on that delicate little face...

The corners of her lips slowly began to curl upward!

Her eyes turned into little crescents, and her rosy lips formed that familiar, sweetly psychotic smile!

"Master~"

Her voice was soft and sweet, laced with barely contained excitement.

"Do you want Liguang... to gouge her eyes out?"

Her small hand had already slipped away from his waist, her slender fingers spreading slightly as a faint crimson glow began to emanate from her fingertips!

"Liguang is ready to do it right now~"

As she spoke, she tilted her head slightly, her eerie gaze locking onto the long-legged woman in the corner.

That look...

Was exactly like a cat staring down a mouse backed into a corner!

An Lian froze completely.

She pressed her already curled-up body even further back, her spine plastered against the wall.

The terror flooded back into her gray eyes, and her chest heaved violently!

"Y-you two...!"

Her voice was hoarse and shook uncontrollably!

Fang Qi: "..."

Ahem... that was just a slip of the tongue!

Just a slip of the tongue!

Crap, he felt like he was being infected by this crazy girl's abnormality!

No, no, no...

He needed to act normal!

He immediately shoved that eager little silver head back down into his chest!

"Mmph—!"

Liguang let out a muffled protest and nuzzled into his embrace.

An Lian watched this scene, finally breathing a slight sigh of relief as the heaving of her chest lessened.

Then, she took a deep breath...

On that aloof face, a professional calmness stubbornly resurfaced!

Even though her face was still a bit pale, even though the purplish-blue finger marks on her neck were still so obvious, and even though her voice was still trembling—

"Mr... Mr. Fang..."

She kept her voice very low, trying her best to sound calm.

"Please, do not act impulsively."

Her voice slowly steadied a bit as she continued,

"What you are facing right now is merely the retrieval of an awakened AI."

"As long as you cooperate and hand over..."

She subconsciously glanced at the silver-haired girl in Fang Qi's arms...

Ultimately, she didn't say the rest of her words.

But as she looked at Fang Qi again,

"In short, you can still easily return to your normal daily life right now."

Her gray eyes stared intently at him.

"But, if you actually hurt or kill someone..."

"The nature of the situation will become completely different."

Her voice grew steadier and steadier, that professional calmness returning bit by bit.

"You will be treated as... a criminal capable of controlling a weapon."

"When that happens, it won't just be people from the company coming after you."

"The police, and even the military... will intervene."

Hearing her words, Fang Qi couldn't help but curl his lips.

Still trying to persuade him to surrender?

He lazily crossed his legs.

"Alright, alright, spare me the nonsense."

"I don't plan on doing anything to you for the time being anyway."

He waved his hand, then lifted his chin toward her.

"Now, can you tell me about the AI Crisis?"

An Lian froze slightly.

Seeming to realize that the other party was still open to communication, she breathed a small sigh of relief, then leaned against the wall, trying to stand up from the floor.

"Mhm..."

Just as she stood up, she stumbled, her body leaning forward.

She only managed to steady herself by holding onto the wall.

Her smooth, straight long legs were clearly still a bit weak as she leaned against the wall to stand firm.

Then she looked up at Fang Qi.

"Mr. Fang..."

Her voice was still a bit hoarse, but it had recovered some of its aloofness.

"May I sit down?"

...Huh?

Fang Qi couldn't help but freeze.

You're asking me?

Isn't this your house?

He blinked, looking at the long-legged mature woman in front of him—

Her white T-shirt was crumpled, her gray loungewear shorts a bit messy, her bare feet stepping on the cold floor, her long black hair scattered untidily, the purplish-blue finger marks on her neck shockingly prominent, leaning against the wall with her legs still trembling...

She looked completely wretched, yet she was still...

Politely asking, "May I sit down?"

Fang Qi suddenly felt that his few remaining shreds of conscience were starting to ache faintly.

...Playing mind games, huh?

The goal was just to make his conscience hurt, right!

Impossible!

There is no way I would feel sorry for you!

He waved his hand casually. "This is your house, why are you asking me? Sit wherever you want!"

Hearing this, An Lian pursed her lips slightly.

Then she let go of the wall, her legs trembling slightly as she walked over to the single sofa on the other side and slowly sat down while holding onto the armrest.

As she sat down, she subconsciously smoothed her messy hair, tucking the few strands sticking to her cheek behind her ear.

Her slender legs were pressed together, slightly angled to the side, with her hands resting on her knees.

Although her clothes were still wrinkled, her hair still messy, and her neck still bruised...

That aloof and elegant temperament had actually returned just like that?

Fang Qi's mouth twitched involuntarily.

Professional...

Too professional!

To still have the mood to maintain her image even in this state!

The figure in his arms moved again.

That small silver head peeked out from his embrace, looking faintly at An Lian.

The crimson in her red eyes flickered slightly.

—Master, she's quite good at pretending.

Fang Qi reached out and pressed her back into his embrace.

No one is better at pretending than you, crazy woman!

Sitting on the sofa and watching this scene, a trace of complex emotion flashed through An Lian's gray eyes.

She took a deep breath and slowly began to speak.

"Mr. Fang, since you do not know about that disaster... let me give you a general overview."

"The First Global AI Crisis..."

"Happened forty-three years ago."