Confronting the Two Women

Fang Qi held his phone. Listening to An Lian's voice, which remained cold even through the static, his fingertips grew slightly cold.

...To see Liguang for the last time... right?

The wound on the side of his neck was still aching.

Every time he swallowed, it felt like blades scraping down his throat!

This pain... was a souvenir personally given to him by that crazy woman!

Moreover, according to his experience from the previous loop...

Once Liguang was destroyed, he would instantly rewind and start over.

So, if he just had An Lian force a reset on Liguang right now...

He would immediately return to that familiar living room!

Back in front of that 52-degree cup of tea!

This... would be the cleanest and most decisive choice!

But...

Fang Qi lay on the bed, staring at a slightly yellowed water stain on the ceiling...

Yet scenes flashed uncontrollably through his mind.

Her startlingly bright eyes when she held the plastic stars at the amusement park, her drooping silver hair when she knelt quietly at home exposing her core interface, and in the morning light of the mountain cabin... her joyful look as she picked wild vegetables.

Damn it.

Fang Qi closed his eyes.

Then he spoke, his voice hoarse but clear: I will go.

An Lian on the other end of the line fell silent for two seconds before replying, Alright. I will arrange it. See you at the Special Containment Center in an hour.

The call ended.

Just as Fang Qi put down his phone, a rustling sound came from the side of the bed.

Lin Xiaoyou woke up.

She lifted her head groggily, her eyes still red and swollen, with a few red sleep marks pressed into her face.

Seeing Fang Qi's eyes open, she sobered up instantly!

Her round eyes widened at once: Senior! You are awake?! Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere? Does it hurt? Do you want water? I will call the doctor—

She jumped up like a startled rabbit, scrambling to press the call bell!

Xiaoyou, Fang Qi stopped her, his voice still a bit hoarse. I am fine.

Lin Xiaoyou's hand stopped in mid-air, and she looked back at him.

As her gaze fell on his heavily bandaged neck, her eyes quickly reddened again:

How is this fine... Senior... Senior, you almost...

She couldn't go on. She sniffled hard, desperately fighting back tears.

But tears were already welling up in her eyes!

Seeing her like this, Fang Qi felt a twinge of bitterness in his heart.

This girl was truly terrified.

Xiaoyou, he tried to make his voice sound light. I need to go out for a bit later.

Go out? Lin Xiaoyou was stunned. How can you go out right now, Senior? The doctor said you must rest! Where are you going?

I need to...

Fang Qi paused: Go see Liguang.

The air suddenly froze.

The worry on Lin Xiaoyou's face vanished instantly, replaced by an expression of near horror!

She took a sudden step forward, pressing both hands against the edge of the bed and leaning in, her round eyes fixed intensely on Fang Qi:

Senior, are you crazy?! Going to see that... that thing?! She... she almost killed you!

Her voice pitched up, trembling!

Her chest heaved violently, and the top button of her light blue uniform shirt burst open!

She is not a thing. Fang Qi corrected her calmly. She is Liguang.

But she awakened! She is a self-aware AI! And she attacked you!

Lin Xiaoyou was so anxious her voice completely changed pitch:

This time she slit your throat, what about next time? Senior, what on earth are you thinking?!

She grew more agitated as she spoke, even gripping Fang Qi's arm so tightly that it made the corner of his eye twitch slightly!

He could feel that Lin Xiaoyou's hands were still trembling slightly.

At this moment, Gu Xi, who had been leaning against the doorframe, finally moved.

She straightened up, walked over, and gently placed a hand on Lin Xiaoyou's shoulder:

Miss Lin, please calm down.

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a force that made people involuntarily obey.

Lin Xiaoyou's shoulders stiffened. She glanced back at Gu Xi, bit her lower lip, and let go.

But her eyes remained fixed on Fang Qi, filled with disapproval and worry.

Fang Qi looked at the two women in front of him.

These two key NPCs in the game...

Now, one had red eyes and a face full of stubbornness. The other had slightly furrowed brows and a complex gaze.

...Well, he better explain!

Comfort Lin Xiaoyou a bit. This girl... cared about him so much, after all.

And... he could also test Gu Xi's attitude!

Besides, in his current condition, he couldn't move on his own. He still had to rely on these two to take him to see Liguang!

He took a deep breath, accidentally pulling his wound, and grimaced in pain.

Then, looking at the two women, he spoke slowly:

Xiaoyou, Officer Gu. There are some things I haven't mentioned before.

Both women's gazes focused on his face.

Liguang actually...

His voice was calm, yet he dropped a bombshell:

She awakened a long time ago. Perhaps... earlier than anyone could have imagined.

Hearing this, Lin Xiaoyou gasped!

Gu Xi's pupils contracted slightly, her crossed arms dropped, and she stood up a bit straighter!

And...

Fang Qi's gaze fell forward, as if he could see the silver-haired girl standing right there... tilting her head and smiling gently at him.

She loves me very much. Not the kind of love programmed into her, but a real love... the kind where she staked everything she had on me.

He paused, then tugged at the corners of his mouth in self-mockery:

So she has been pretending all along. Pretending to be an ordinary AI, docile, obedient, and perfect.

Because she knew... once I found out she had awakened, I might report it, and she... would be destroyed.

The hospital room was so quiet that only the rhythmic beeping of the machines could be heard.

Neither woman spoke, holding their breath as they listened.

And me?

He raised his uninjured hand and rubbed his temples:

I was pretending too.

I actually found out a long time ago as well, but... I pretended not to know. I acted along with her, playing this master and AI companion game of... playing house.

He looked at Lin Xiaoyou, his tone laced with helplessness:

So you see, Xiaoyou, she didn't attack me for no reason. At the police station... I took the initiative to lay my cards on the table with her.

I told her... I knew she had awakened. I thought she wouldn't act impulsively at the police station, that we would have a chance to communicate.

Lin Xiaoyou opened her mouth but no sound came out.

But she broke down right then and there.

His voice lowered:

She thought that me taking her to the police station and agreeing to Officer Gu's suggestion to try out other AIs... was all just to trick her into going there so I could hand her over to the police to be destroyed. That is why she...

His fingers gently touched the bandages on the side of his neck.

Everything was understood without being explicitly said.

He had said all that needed to be said.

Next, it would depend on the reactions of these two!

Gu Xi had been listening in silence, her light brown eyes never looking away.

Her gaze gradually shifted from initial scrutiny to something more complex.

There was no disgust or aversion in them. Instead... there was a strange kind of understanding, and even a hint of being moved!

Taking this in, Fang Qi felt a slight stir in his heart.

Sure enough, Gu Xi was just the same as she was in the game!

This beautiful police officer who appeared to abhor evil and looked so valiant and heroic on the outside... actually had an almost romantic obsession with the concept of "love" on the inside!

She wasn't repulsed by the feelings between humans and awakened AIs. In fact... she respected them!

"So," Fang Qi struck while the iron was hot and concluded, "I have to go see her one last time."

"Not to question her about why she hurt me, but to tell her that I... never wanted to destroy her. Never."

He then looked at the dumbfounded Lin Xiaoyou to the side, his tone softening a bit.

"Xiaoyou, to me, Liguang isn't just a 'thing'. She... is my partner."

"Even if she gets jealous, goes crazy... and even almost killed me."

Lin Xiaoyou stared at him blankly.

The anger and worry on her face slowly faded away.

Leaving only shock, bewilderment, and... a trance-like state from being overwhelmed by such a twisted and extreme story.

She blinked her still somewhat teary eyes and muttered softly,

"So, Senior, you... knew all along? And you played along with her act?"

Fang Qi gave a soft "hmm" in agreement.

She immediately scratched her somewhat messy ponytail, her expression as conflicted as if she were trying to solve an advanced calculus problem!

"What... what is this even..."

But in the end, her shoulders slumped and she sighed.

"Even though I still think it's so dangerous... but..."

She looked up at Fang Qi, her eyes turning a bit more serious.

"Senior, the story between you and Liguang sounds... so scary, but also a little... romantic?"

Her face blushed slightly.

"It's so heartbreaking!"

She pursed her lips and finally stopped trying to stop him.

"Then... then you should go, Senior. When Liguang is reset, I... I can help take care of her too!"

"Even though she might not remember me... but that's okay!"

She clenched her small fists, as if cheering herself on.

"I will work with you, Senior, to treat the reset Liguang very, very well!"

Looking at her acting so brave despite clearly being afraid, Fang Qi felt a slight warmth in his heart and also wanted to laugh a little.

This girl was already starting to think about what would happen after the reset...

It was a pity that once Liguang was reset... he would instantly loop back in time!

Gu Xi also walked over to the bed.

She looked down at Fang Qi, her voice much softer than before. "Fang Qi."

She called him by his name, instead of "Mr. Fang."

"If you're sure you want to go... then I'll go with you."

She paused and added, "Not escorting you as a police officer. But as... a friend. I'll go talk to An Lian."

Fang Qi couldn't help but look at her.

The beautiful police officer averted her gaze, raising a hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her earlobes turning slightly red.

Her profile looked clear and valiant under the cold white lights of the hospital, but her eyes had already softened!

"I... have seen too many people hurt each other for all sorts of reasons."

She said softly, her gaze falling on the gray sky outside the window.

"But like you two... one desperately hiding it, and the other fully aware but playing along to hide it together..."

"Ending up like this, yet still wanting to meet one last time to clear things up..."

She turned her head back to look at Fang Qi, her light brown eyes crystal clear.

"I think you should go. She must be waiting for you, too."

...Just as I thought!

Officer Gu, you really are...

My best teammate on the path to [Eternal True Love]!

Fang Qi immediately nodded. "Thank you."

Gu Xi straightened up, returning to her usual crisp and capable demeanor. "Then I'll go get a wheelchair. Miss Lin, help him up slowly, and be careful not to touch his wounds."

Lin Xiaoyou nodded hastily and carefully went to support Fang Qi's arm.

Her movements were very light, but steady.

Supported by her, Fang Qi endured the dizziness and the throbbing pain in the side of his neck as he slowly sat up.

The blanket slipped down, revealing his blue-and-white striped hospital gown. The collar was open, and bandages wrapped around more than half of his neck, making him look a bit battered.

But he didn't care about any of that.

His gaze had already drifted out the window.

You crazy woman...

Wait for me, I'm coming.

I'm coming to see you one last time!

And then...

We'll meet again in the next time loop.

When that time comes...

Just wait and see how I deal with you!