"Hoo~"

Agave Rope's breathing was a bit rapid.

John knew he was interested in things like this, but he didn't expect him to be obsessed to such a degree.

He suddenly felt the person in front of him was so unfamiliar.

Also a bit pathological.

Agave Rope scratched the back of his head—the newly installed Network Access Vault was still in the adaptation phase.

Maybe the wound was a bit itchy and painful.

"You sound good, why not mass-produce it?"

Agave Rope asked.

John looked at him with some surprise, not expecting him to still have his wits about him.

Bismarck didn't avoid the question.

"Because it's expensive."

This is an experimental-level chip that can create a high-level operating system.

Imagine something that can support heavy intelligent weapons being used as the core of a sex companion intelligent mechanism...

How many customers can afford it?

It ultimately could only be customized, not mass-produced.

"..."

Agave Rope's expression became very complicated.

Not right.

Very wrong.

John felt his state today was abnormal, now Agave Rope was like those colleagues he remembered who went on a city-crossing transport spree before pulling all-nighters partying.

Agave Rope took a deep breath.

"How can I get one?"

He was ready to pay the price.

Bismarck shrugged, casually smiled.

"Just need me to nod."

"..."

Agave Rope and John both expressed deep skepticism.

Bismarck's tone didn't change, but he put away his smile.

"You have to make sure I stay alive."

He finally plainly stated this sentence.

When John walked into Source Equation, he'd witnessed how tight the security measures of this agency were, not to mention the gates and drones outside...

The security chief was still watching in the control room.

Would the Iron Scorpions let them go?

Only with Bismarck accompanying them could they leave safely, but then again, once the key is decoded and they're outside, this high-ranking company dog would be completely useless.

Whether he lived or died, John had the final say.

He kept trying, getting nowhere with Gino, so he attempted to recruit Agave Rope.

"I like doing business with people; mutual needs form the strongest relationships."

"The consequences of stealing company property are very serious."

John reminded him.

Bismarck shook his head.

"You underestimate the authority of an independent project director."

Bismarck was a high-ranking company dog by any standard.

He could cooperate with Harbor Company and still maintain an air of superiority in front of Eden.

For ordinary people who drift through the streets, they might never touch his level in their lifetime.

Bismarck's current politeness and sociability were entirely because his life was in someone else's hands.

More accurately.

Bismarck feared "Serum's revenge."

He was constantly testing and probing with Gino, Agave Rope, and even John, slowly accumulating his survival odds.

The longer he interacted, the more John felt Bismarck resembled [Tie Clip].

He was a purer, more advanced commercial monster, with prosthetics and blood vessels that flowed with interest exchanges.

Bismarck spoke while operating.

"I have the right to restart the project, update the experiment logs, scan your biological information in, add a tester number, then you can take the intelligent mechanism back. If there are any issues, you can always consult me."

He turned his head earnestly to remind.

"Even nobility doesn't get this treatment."

Agave Rope nodded in agreement, then he reacted, cluelessly turning to look at the mercenary with the most say in the team.

John crossed his arms, expression indifferent.

[Agree to the deal. (Optional)]

[Decline the deal. (Optional)]

"Do you know the risks of company products?"

John ignored Bismarck, only looking at Agave Rope.

This young hacker knitted his brows, his hair oily and slightly long, pressing his lips, unsure what to say.

John could tell at a glance.

He hadn't heard "risk," but was organizing his language to persuade himself, like a high addict with no shred of rationality.

"If it costs your life, are you willing?"

John couldn't help but ask another question.

"Not that serious, I..."

Agave Rope mumbled, his brows already knitted tight.

"Okay."

John interrupted him, turned, and left the room.

He lit a cigarette at the door, suddenly remembering standing at the Owl Town photo studio that time.

Staying awake is a painful matter.

So there will always be people who give up thinking, making foolish decisions.

Ten minutes later.

Bismarck came out, pulled a traditional cigarette.

Two completely different flavors diffused through the hallway.

From the laboratory came the torque sound of robotic arms, along with slight welding and the beeps and clicks of data...

John suddenly asked a question.

"Where are your test subjects from?"

He referred to the [Behavior Chip].

This product, when launched in a club, always goes through different stages of testing.

And it must involve living people.

When John lived in a cheap apartment on Dan Street.

He'd heard sex workers mention that many Sex Dolls would swap different chips within a week, earn extra pay, and get rewards for good guest feedback.

Bismarck took a deep drag of his cigarette.

He countered.

"I've actually seen your file too, John. When you were abandoned by Tiebang Logistics, with no insurance, penniless, ever thought of just dying?"

"..."

John didn't answer.

Bismarck watched the smoke drift in front of him.

"Do you know the difference between a company dog and a regular person?"

Bismarck had many questions tonight.

He spoke to himself.

"There are many people on the streets of Eden City who, burdened with huge debts, feel at a dead end, and find a corner, put a bullet in their head, and that's it."

Bismarck made a gun gesture with his hand, pointing at his head.

"But you ask any company executive, if at a dead-end, stripped of all wealth, saddled with a huge debt just to stay alive, they would agree without hesitation, then crawl back up again."

"What are you trying to say?"

John furrowed his brow.

Bismarck stubbed out his cigarette.

"Life requires courage and vision; some people are destined to be swallowed by this city, while people like us will rise, don't feel guilty."

"..."

John still wanted to speak.

Suddenly, cheers came from Agave Rope in the lab.

A few minutes later.

He pushed a balance scooter out of the lab, wrapped in a cloth covering a humanoid outline.

[Unread Message: 1]

[Gino: Work's done, let's go, I don't want to stay in this place any longer.]

A few more minutes.

John, Gino, Agave Rope, Bismarck, not missing out, stood in the elevator, stepping on the path of departure among jumping floor information.

Of course.

There was also an intelligent mechanism puppet wrapped in cloth.

Bismarck promised, as long as both sides left peacefully and returned to a safe zone, he'd deliver the intelligent chip to him.

Gino naturally sneered, angrily berating Agave Rope.

Bismarck stood at the front, not turning back, his silhouette straight.

John suddenly felt impulsive—once exiting the security channel, retrieving the weapons, and sitting in the car, he just wanted to point the gun at this head and pull the trigger.

He was very dangerous.

A danger different from Iron Scorpion.

Klang.

The elevator started moving sideways.

The intelligent mechanism on the balance scooter toppled, crashing against the carriage wall.

The cloth fell off.

A delicate two-dimensional Cat Girl was exposed.

It had soft white animal ears, fur extending to its temples, slightly opening mouth corners with cute fangs.

The intelligent mechanism hadn't yet installed a chip, its gaze somewhat blank.

Those pair of glass-like big eyes...

Silently staring at this world.

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