Xiaoyou, you're too loud.

Fang Qi held Liguang's soft little hand and walked down from the third floor.

The mall was quiet and dark at this hour.

All the surrounding shops were closed, their roller shutters pulled tight, and the glass display windows were pitch black.

Only the pale moonlight leaked in through the skylight on the top floor, casting long shadows of the plastic mannequins.

This mall... is quite creepy in the middle of the night.

Fang Qi muttered in his heart, but his feet didn't stop.

The little hand he was holding was also gripping him tightly.

The escalator leading to the first floor was surprisingly still lit. The stairs moved slowly, emitting a low buzzing sound that echoed in the empty mall.

The light strips on both sides were also on, the pale light extending all the way down, illuminating the entire passage.

...Was this path left specifically for him?

Fang Qi pursed his lips.

Tsk, quite considerate, huh?

Beside him, the silver-haired girl was following him obediently.

Her little leather shoes clicked against the floor, echoing clearly in the quiet and empty mall.

"Master~"

She suddenly spoke, her voice soft and sweet.

"Hmm?"

"When we see Miss Lin later, how are you going to ask her, Master?"

Liguang was tilting her little head to look at him, the little star earring dangling on her earlobe, her heterochromatic eyes curving into crescents.

Her mood had turned quite good again.

She blinked. "If Master is too embarrassed to ask—"

Her voice grew even sweeter.

"Liguang can ask for you, Master!"

Fang Qi looked down at her.

She was looking up with her small face, the corners of her mouth curled into a gentle and obedient smile, just like a good AI volunteering to share her master's burdens.

"...No need, I'll ask first!"

He refused decisively.

He had a feeling this crazy woman was scheming something again...

He couldn't let her push her luck anymore! He had to take back the initiative!

"Eh—"

Liguang dragged out the syllable, the disappointment on her little face completely unhidden.

The two got off the escalator and continued walking along the light strip.

A faint scent of milk tea drifted in the air, and the lights of the "Ke Kou Ke" milk tea shop in the distance were still on.

Warm yellow light leaked from the glass doors, looking exceptionally conspicuous in the pitch-black mall.

As they got closer, looking at the approaching signboard and its cute font... Fang Qi zoned out for a moment.

Ke Kou Ke Milk Tea...

According to what Uncle Fang Yi meant, if he decided to join Dusk in the future, he could come here to find Xiaoqing.

So... this was actually a contact point for "Dusk"!

He couldn't tell, Dusk's style was actually quite cute and pink...

Moreover, Lin Xiaoyou's omnic best friend Xiaoqing had said before leaving... that the three characters for "Ke Kou Ke" looked like a robot's face.

But looking at it now... it didn't look like that at all!

With such round and cute fonts and a pinkish signboard, who could tell this was a robot's face...

However... he turned his head and glanced at Liguang's pretty face.

The silver-haired girl was watching him the whole time, and seeing him look over, she blinked at him. "What is it, Master?"

...It seemed there was nothing wrong with it. A robot's face was indeed quite pink and cute.

"I just like Senior, so what!"

Suddenly, a tearful voice rang out from the milk tea shop!

"Xiaoqing, what right do you have to stop me from liking Senior!"

Fang Qi's footsteps immediately paused, only a few steps away from the door.

...Huh?

Lin Xiaoyou's voice?

"And... what exactly is wrong with you?!"

The crying and shouting grew louder, filled with grievance and anger!

"Why have you suddenly changed so much!"

The voice carried the heartbreak of being betrayed by the closest person!

"Xiaoqing, I hate the way you are now!"

...?

Fang Qi stood a few meters outside the milk tea shop and blinked.

...What was going on?

Lin Xiaoyou... was arguing with her best friend?

There was gossip!

He pulled Liguang and strode forward, peeking inside as soon as he reached the door!

But before he could see clearly, a suppressed, trembling voice came out:

"Xiaoyou, you are, too, noisy...!"

"Bzzzt—!"

The harsh sound of an electric shock!

"Ugh—!"

Then it went quiet.

Fang Qi: "...?"

No way?

He stood outside the door, his eyes wide as he looked inside... at the figure that suddenly collapsed.

Eh?

Electric shock?

Lin Xiaoyou... got shocked by her best friend?!

...Did this count as him witnessing a crime scene?

Was this gossip really that explosive?

So was it... appropriate for him to go in now?

Shouldn't he give the other party some time to dispose of the "body"?

Otherwise, wouldn't it be very awkward?

"Master, Master!"

Liguang's voice was full of excitement!

Fang Qi looked down somewhat stiffly.

The silver-haired girl was staring inside with wide eyes!

Her pretty face wore an excited little expression, and the crimson in her red eyes was dancing joyfully!

"Something very interesting happened inside!"

Fang Qi: "..."

Yeah.

True.

To a crazy woman, this was indeed quite interesting.

"Let's go in quickly, Master!"

She tugged at his hand, looking eager to give it a try!

Like a cat that had smelled fish!

Fang Qi took a deep breath.

Alright.

He had to go ask anyway!

He took a deep breath and pushed open the glass door of the milk tea shop!

The sweet scent of milk tea and cream rushed to his face.

Warm yellow light spilled over the neat tabletops, and there were a few unfinished cups of milk tea on the tables.

Xiaoqing was currently sitting in a booth by the window.

She was wearing a blue apron with "Ke Kou Ke" printed on it, her ponytail tied neatly.

One hand was gently wrapping around Lin Xiaoyou's shoulder, resting her head on her own shoulder.

And in her other hand...

She was holding a buzzing gadget that emitted blue electric sparks!

Black, palm-sized, with an electric arc still dancing between the two electrodes at the front!

It illuminated the surrounding air with a faint blue glow!

Fang Qi's gaze stiffened slightly.

Is this... a self-defense stun gun?

And Lin Xiaoyou was currently slumped beside her, her small round face tilted against her shoulder, her ponytail hanging in front of her chest, her small mouth slightly open, and her eyes shut tight.

Her two hands hung limply, and her whole person... was leaning against Xiaoqing as if her bones had been extracted.

Hearing the door open, Xiaoqing looked up.

Seeing that it was Fang Qi and Liguang, there was not a hint of panic on her face. The corners of her mouth curled up slightly, revealing a somewhat tired smile.

"Oh, you're here."

Her voice was very soft, with a hint of hoarseness, as if she had just been awakened from a light sleep.

Then... she casually placed the stun gun on the table.

"Clack."

The electric arc of the black stun gun extinguished.

Then she lowered her head, reached out to gently brush Lin Xiaoyou's scattered hair, and tucked those few loose strands behind her ear.

"What a coincidence."

She raised her eyes to look at Fang Qi, her voice still carrying a slightly sleepy nasal tone.

"Xiaoyou... just fell asleep."

Fang Qi looked at the stun gun on the table that still carried residual heat, and then looked at Lin Xiaoyou's... well, quiet sleeping face.

His eyes twitched!

"...Fell asleep?"

"Mhm."

Xiaoqing nodded and looked down again at Lin Xiaoyou resting on her shoulder.

That look was actually very gentle.

"She is sleeping quite soundly."

She reached out and pinched Lin Xiaoyou's cheek, squeezing her small round face slightly out of shape.

"See? She won't wake up."

Fang Qi: "..."

Then, a gust of wind carrying the sweet scent of strawberries suddenly swept past him!

The silver-haired girl let go of his hand, her little leather shoes clacking as she darted over to Xiaoqing in just a few steps!

She stared intently at the stun gun on the table!

"This..."

Liguang's tone carried a hint of hidden excitement.

She extended a single finger and carefully poked the still-warm electrodes of the stun gun.

Then she looked up at Xiaoqing:

"Is this the one you just used?"

Xiaoqing rubbed her eyes and nodded somewhat lazily:

"Yeah."

Liguang's heterochromatic eyes brightened even more as she immediately pressed on:

"Does it work well?"

"She passed out right away. Will it hurt the person getting shocked?"

Fang Qi: "?"

Wait a minute...?

You crazy woman, why are you asking that?!

What are you planning to do?!

Xiaoqing looked at Liguang, her half-closed eyes finally opening slightly wider.

She thought for a moment, then reached out and picked up the stun gun from the table.

"It won't."

"I modified it."

She turned the stun gun over, revealing an inconspicuous little knob at the bottom.

"The ones on the market have too high a voltage; it is easy for accidents to happen after a shock."

Her finger gave the knob a twist, producing a soft click.

"As for me, I readjusted both the voltage and the frequency."

She held the stun gun out to Liguang with a very serious expression:

"It only takes one zap to send the person straight into a deep sleep. When they wake up, they will feel incredibly refreshed, and there won't be any side effects."

She paused, then added:

"They won't even have any memory of being shocked."

Standing behind Liguang and listening to Xiaoqing's product pitch...

Fang Qi felt completely unwell!

Hold on...?

What is this woman talking about?

What kind of ideas is she planting in his wife's head?!

Deep sleep state? No memory left behind?

Huh?

But he had to admit, this thing sounded...

Like it could actually be quite useful...

Xiaoqing glanced at Fang Qi, the corners of her mouth curving up slightly in a smile that carried a lazy gentleness.

"In Twilight, this is actually quite popular."

...?

Wait... is that right?

This thing is definitely not meant to be used on outsiders, is it!

Can Twilight please ensure the safety of its own members first?!

Xiaoqing looked back at Liguang.

The silver-haired girl was currently staring at the stun gun in her hand... her eyes shining terrifyingly bright!

Xiaoqing rubbed the space between her eyebrows and even let out a small yawn, looking as if she were very sleepy.

Then she looked at Liguang, her voice light and lazy:

"Liguang, if you can convince your master to join Twilight—"

She weighed the stun gun in her hand and smiled sleepily:

"I will give one of these to you."

Fang Qi: "I..."