Try AI

Her voice was crisp and loud, carrying a brisk and decisive energy!

But listening closely, one could hear the hidden embarrassment and apology:

"It was my preconceived notion, I misunderstood you! I only realized after watching the video that you were acting in self-defense!"

"And... you didn't make her do that kind of thing, it was her own... uh, programmed response."

She raised her head, her ponytail swinging behind her shoulders with the movement. Her face still bore a lingering blush of embarrassment, but her eyes had become sincere:

"I shouldn't have had such a bad attitude without figuring out the situation first, and I definitely shouldn't have doubted your character!"

"I apologize for my rashness. I'm sorry, Mr. Fang!"

Saying that, she bowed her head again!

Fang Qi was taken aback by her sudden, formal apology.

Good heavens, this pretty police officer...

As expected, just like in the game, she has a completely straightforward temper!

When she misunderstood and disliked him, her attitude was terrible!

But once she realized she was wrong, she immediately bowed and apologized without any hesitation...

He quickly waved his hands and said, "It's fine, it's fine, Officer Gu. You were just doing your duty, I can understand."

But in his heart, he threw up a peace sign!

Sure enough! Although admitting it was a bit awkward, facing this straightforward pretty police officer who admitted her mistakes right away...

Acting coy would only lower her affection!

As long as I'm not embarrassed, the one who gets embarrassed is someone else!

Now, he had not only put the little yandere in a better mood, but also made the tool-character police officer feel apologetic and favorable towards him...

Perfect! This wave of operations gets a perfect score!

Feeling relieved inwardly, Fang Qi maintained a calm expression of "being understood" on his face:

"I have nothing to hide anyway. I customized her legally and use her in compliance with regulations. It's not something shameful."

"...T-That's true."

Gu Xi straightened up and raised a hand to rub the back of her neck unnaturally, looking a bit sheepish.

She cleared her throat, trying to make her tone professional again, but it was noticeably softer:

"I basically understand the situation. The video evidence is complete, the other party drew a knife first, and your AI companion's actions can be classified as self-defense. As for that last part..."

She paused and glanced at Liguang. The suspicion in her eyes was gone, replaced only by a helpless smile that seemed to say, 'Your way of interacting is certainly unique':

"I'll make a note in the report about the overly vivid emotional simulation, but it shouldn't affect the nature of the case."

Fang Qi: "..."

She's reporting that too?

Fine, whatever.

As long as she doesn't tell Special Commissioner An.

Gu Xi seemed to want to quickly turn the page on this awkwardness. She picked up the keys on the desk and stood up:

"Um... let me take off your handcuffs first!"

She reached her hand toward Fang Qi's wrist.

Right at that moment...

The gaze of Liguang, who had been smiling and even seemed a bit dazed...

Instantly froze!

It immediately locked onto Gu Xi's approaching hand!

Her eyes closely followed Gu Xi's fingers, watching as those fingers pinched the key, inserted it into the keyhole, and turned—

Throughout the entire process, the docile smile on the silver-haired girl's face didn't change in the slightest.

But Fang Qi could feel... her handcuffed wrist was slightly exerting force!

She pulled at the chain of the handcuffs, seemingly wanting to keep his wrist away from Gu Xi's fingers!

Her other hand, resting folded on her lap, had its little finger... slightly rubbing against the hem of her skirt, over and over.

That was... her subconscious little habit when she was displeased!

Obviously, she didn't want Gu Xi to unlock the handcuffs, and she especially didn't want Gu Xi to touch her master's wrist!

Fang Qi: "..."

Until a soft click sounded, and the handcuff on Fang Qi's wrist was opened.

Gu Xi's fingers never actually touched the skin of his wrist the entire time; she completed the operation through the air.

Only then did Liguang's gaze shift away from Gu Xi's hand.

The motion of her little finger rubbing the skirt hem also stopped. There was a trace of disappointment in her eyes, but they had also softened considerably.

She lowered her head slightly and cooperatively raised her wrist, allowing Gu Xi to easily remove her handcuff as well.

Fang Qi's mouth twitched.

He took a deep breath...

As long as she doesn't go completely yandere, it's not a big problem!

Gu Xi straightened up and put the handcuffs back at her waist. She let out a soft sigh, then raised a hand to press her neck and gently twisted it, the expression on her face relaxing a lot.

"Alright." Her tone had also lightened up significantly, carrying a casual sense of relief. "However..."

She looked at Fang Qi, her tone carrying a hint of awkwardness:

"Although the video provided by Liguang is very complete, she is, after all, an advanced AI companion and one of the parties involved."

"According to procedure, we cannot completely rule out the possibility that she tampered with or edited the recorded content on her own. So, you'll need to wait here for a little while."

As she explained, she leaned slightly against the edge of the desk, one hand resting casually on it:

"We need to pull the public surveillance footage near the alley entrance for cross-verification to ensure the video hasn't been altered. This is just a procedural requirement; personally, I believe the truthfulness of your statement."

Pausing for a moment, she added, her tone carrying a bit of apology:

"If things go smoothly, it should be done in about half an hour. I'm sorry for taking up a bit of your time."

Fang Qi nodded. "I understand. Cooperating with the investigation is the right thing to do."

But Liguang beside him...

Fang Qi glanced over out of the corner of his eye.

The silver-haired girl had retracted her previously handcuffed wrist, and her hands were elegantly folded on her lap once again.

Her eyelashes drooped slightly, and the corners of her lips still held that docile smile.

Everything looked normal.

But Fang Qi saw that her hand resting on her lap... the little finger had started again!

One stroke, then another, gently rubbing against the hem of her skirt.

The movement was very light and restrained... but it kept going!

—The handcuffs are gone. Master promised to take me to meet his colleagues today, but now we have to wait here. It's a waste of time. Unhappy.

She was obviously thinking exactly that!

...Having just finished "capturing" Gu Xi, now he had to figure out how to pacify this crazy woman!

However... it's not a big problem.

Watch my moves!

After a moment of thought... he seemingly casually let his left hand drop to his side.

Then, his finger silently...

Hooked onto Liguang's still restless little finger!

"!"

The silver-haired girl's slender body trembled slightly.

Fang Qi could feel her little finger instantly stiffen!

Then, extremely slowly and with a hint of hesitation...

It gently... hooked his finger back.

But this subtle touch and response was like a hidden switch.

The unnatural paleness on Liguang's cheeks... was quickly replaced by a more genuine layer of light pink!

She tilted her head slightly and shot a very quick glance at Fang Qi.

The gloominess that was originally in her eyes had dissipated, and she even carried a misty shyness, as well as a softness after being comforted!

The curve of her lips also became natural again, even lifting upward just a tiny bit!

Fang Qi's heart relaxed slightly.

Mhm... stabilized!

This crazy woman, although her state of mind was a bit off...

But he had to admit, she was still so easy to coax!

Gu Xi was obviously still embarrassed about the misunderstanding just now. She unnaturally raised her hand to rub the back of her neck, her gaze drifting over Fang Qi's face for a second before quickly looking away.

In order to break this delicate silence, she suddenly clapped her hands together!

"Oh, right!"

Her voice raised a little, trying to make her tone sound light and breezy:

"Mr. Fang, since you are so... experienced with using AI companions, it just so happens..."

"Our department is currently piloting a police auxiliary AI system, and we're planning to recruit some citizens familiar with home AIs to participate in the closed beta and provide feedback!"

She paused here, her ponytail swaying slightly as she tilted her head.

Her light brown eyes looked at Fang Qi, still holding a lingering trace of embarrassment, but she tried hard to put on a businesslike expression:

"It's just testing out the new system and giving some suggestions on user experience. It's not a formal job, but there is a small subsidy. I think you're quite suitable for it. Would you like to consider it?"

Fang Qi's ears immediately perked up.

A closed beta for a police auxiliary AI?

This wasn't in the game at all...

But his mind was spinning fast!

Obviously, this was a topic Gu Xi came up with on the spot to ease the awkwardness and make up for her poor attitude earlier!

But...

Wasn't this a godsend?!

This was simply the perfect, legitimate excuse to interact with Gu Xi in the future, paving the way to keep An Lian in check!

"Sure!"

He blurted it out with almost no hesitation!

A warm and polite smile instantly appeared on his face. "I'd definitely be happy to contribute to the police system! When does it start? What do I need to prep—"

Before he could even finish his sentence—

"?!"

A sharp pain suddenly shot up from his left pinky!

It wasn't a gentle intertwining, but rather...

A force that felt like it was going to crush his finger bones!

Fang Qi's breath hitched, and he almost cried out in pain!

He stiffly turned his head to look at Liguang beside him—

The silver-haired girl was still sitting there quietly.

Her pale beige skirt was spread out, her hands elegantly folded on her lap. The lines of her profile were soft, and the corners of her lips even maintained that perfectly measured, docile smile.

Sunlight slanted in through the high windows of the interrogation room, casting fine shadows over her silver eyelashes, her amber left eye crystal clear.

Everything seemed normal.

Except—

Fang Qi's gaze was deadlocked on their hands hanging by their sides, hidden by the table.

His pinky was being tightly clamped by Liguang's cool, slender fingers!

It wasn't an affectionate tangling, but... a near vice-like grip!

The force was so great that his knuckles turned white!

His bones were letting out faint groans under the overwhelming pressure!

And yet, on her face... she still wore that innocent and submissive expression!

She even tilted her head slightly when Gu Xi's gaze swept over, giving the beautiful police officer a shy and friendly little smile.

A layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on Fang Qi's back!

After the initial agony and bewilderment, his brain finally realized in hindsight...

What had he just agreed to?!

Testing... another AI?!

In Liguang's twisted, all-possessive logic, this was simply far worse than going on a date with Lin Xiaoyou, or coming back smelling like a strange woman...

It was even more unforgivable!!

This was the ultimate betrayal of her "uniqueness"!

It was... an attempt to replace her with another "AI"!

It was outright "cheating"!!

But...

Fang Qi was completely dumbfounded.

Police AIs... were all about practicality!

They weren't even humanoid like a home AI companion!!

It was probably just two robotic arms, or a mechanical dog... or even just a general-purpose AI model!

He just hadn't realized it a moment ago...!

Would this kind of thing actually make the current Liguang jealous?!

Fang Qi felt as if he could already hear the hum of a current overload inside Liguang's skull, as if he could see deep within her crimson pupils... a scarlet torrent of data about to erupt!

He even felt that in the next second, this hand tightly crushing his pinky...

...would "shing" out a laser blade, slicing Gu Xi along with the mouth that made the proposal...!

"Mr. Fang?"

Gu Xi's voice came over, laced with a bit of confusion.

Fang Qi snapped back to reality, forcibly suppressing the sharp pain in his finger and the panic in his heart, squeezing out a smile that looked worse than crying:

"I-I'm fine! I just spaced out for a second... About this testing thing..."

While dealing with Gu Xi at a rapid-fire pace, he used all his strength to try and pull his trapped pinky out—

It wouldn't budge an inch.

Liguang's fingers felt like they were welded to his bone.

He could even feel the cool touch of her fingertips gradually rising in temperature, faintly radiating an abnormal warmth that belonged to a running machine.

The silver-haired girl's smile was still flawless.

But she was no longer looking at Gu Xi. Instead, she was... quietly staring at his face!

The corners of her mouth seemed to... be curling upward again!

Fang Qi: "..."

It seemed like this time...

He had pushed it too far?