Chapter 661

Liguang spoke softly:

“This right eye of Liguang’s has always loved bright things. Its master specially customized it for Liguang.”

“But most of the time, Liguang doesn’t know why it’s glowing either. There’s nothing Liguang can do to stop it, so she just lets it shine.”

“I’m afraid it must look rather silly to Miss Ling’er.”

Ling’er gave a light laugh. “Not at all. The red glow suits Miss Liguang perfectly. I’ve never seen such beautiful eyes before.”

Fang Qi: “……”

Suits her, my ass! Stop saying that!

He held his neck rigidly and didn’t dare look back. All he could feel was… a complete mess inside his head!

Wait. What had just happened?

He looked at Lin Xiaoyou, who was still tapping away at her phone in front of him, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

Hey, good teammate, what are you doing right now…?!

“Senior, it’s fine now. Look!”

Lin Xiaoyou had already raised her phone again. On the screen…

There were still the words from the notebook! The first line read:

[Senior, don’t expose yourself! There’s something seriously wrong with that “Ling’er”!]

Fang Qi: “!”

He stared at that line, holding his breath as his heartbeat sped up slightly!

Good…

Very good!

Miss Genius, it really is you! You’ve finally…!

“Senior, look at the comments!”

Lin Xiaoyou pointed at the words on the screen again, grinning.

“The comments are killing me!”

Fang Qi: “……”

This acting… Fine. I’ll play along!

He resisted the urge to glance at the two women behind him. His gaze sharpened—

There were two more lines on the screen:

[Senior, my condition is very unusual right now. My brain works properly only intermittently, so I can’t be of much help for the moment!]

[Ask whatever you need to ask, quickly! Otherwise I’m going to become stupid again!]

Fang Qi: “!!”

The moment he saw those two lines, in the blink of an eye…

Countless thoughts raced through Fang Qi’s mind!

Lin Xiaoyou had only recovered temporarily, so… it must have been the result of the questions he had just asked!

Perhaps because Lin Xiaoyou’s memories were jumbled, she had discovered the inconsistencies hidden within them, and that had unexpectedly cleared her mind.

Her intelligence had temporarily reclaimed the high ground!

But why had this happened…?

Was it because, after her “soul had gone missing,” the switch occasionally malfunctioned?

…Forget it. That wasn’t important right now!

What mattered was that the Temporary Miss Genius seemed incapable of staying clever for long!

Right now… she was probably like a phone running out of battery, liable to shut down automatically at any moment!

So… so…!

Fang Qi’s thoughts were still a mess. This sudden turn of events had left him completely unsure of what to say!

…What was he supposed to ask her now?

Why had he come looking for Lin Xiaoyou today, anyway…?

Oh, right!

His pupils trembled.

He needed Lin Xiaoyou to change the world line! Wasn’t that exactly why he had come to find her?

But…

No, that wouldn’t work either!

Explaining the matter would be too troublesome. There was no way to make her understand it in just a few words!

Besides, he still hadn’t returned the authority to Liguang, so he couldn’t alter the world line yet.

Otherwise, once the world line changed…

Liguang would lose all her memories!

He had to handle things one step at a time!

First, return the authority. Then alter the world line. Finally, recover Liguang’s memories!

So…

Was he supposed to ask how he could return the authority to Liguang?

But even Gu Xi didn’t know about something like that. No matter how clever Lin Xiaoyou was, there was no way she could know either, right?!

The only person who might know was the one currently making awkward conversation with Liguang…!

In the space of a heartbeat, this entire chain of thoughts flashed through Fang Qi’s mind.

Then his gaze hardened, and he immediately snatched Lin Xiaoyou’s phone away.

Keeping his eyes on the screen, he deliberately laughed and complained:

“Oh my gosh, seriously… What are these people even commenting? This is killing me…”

Though he spoke aloud, his eyes remained fixed on the screen, and his fingers flew across it as he typed.

At the same time, he didn’t forget to acknowledge Liguang:

“Liguang, these comments about you are really interesting. They’re even treating you like a goddess!”

Liguang glanced at the flashy phone in Fang Qi’s hand.

She couldn’t see what was on the screen from her angle, but she could see…

The fingers typing across it.

Her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly. Then she lifted her gaze, the corners of her lips curling into a faint smile.

“Master being happy is all that matters.”

Her smile was gentle and tender, but the kindness in her eyes seemed to see through everything!

She simply watched him in silence.

Fang Qi: “…!!”

A faint sheen of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

He had a feeling that his wife had already noticed something was wrong!

But… he didn’t have time to worry about that now!

He typed rapidly:

[How much do you know about Ling’er’s identity?]

[Last night, she came to inspect Liguang as Maintenance Specialist S-02, and a blue glow even flashed through her eyes!]

[I suspect that she also possesses a Super Core and is one of the super AIs running in the Dawn system’s backend!]

Then he handed the phone back to Lin Xiaoyou.

“People have been reporting on this sort of thing for way too long. What an age of entertainment-obsessed madness…”

Miss Genius, hurry up and use that brilliant little brain of yours!

Lin Xiaoyou glanced at the screen with her bright almond-shaped eyes, narrowing them slightly before grinning again.

“What are you talking about, Senior? This news story is pretty serious! I’ll find something more entertaining for you!”

As she spoke, she began typing while loudly announcing:

“I heard there are even people trying to sniff out a business opportunity!”

She cast a sly glance at Liguang’s reaction.

“They say they want to turn Liguang’s image into a body pillow!”

…Huh?

The tense look in Fang Qi’s eyes immediately froze.

His previously dazed and anxious mood stiffened in an instant.

What?

Turn Liguang’s image… into what?!

He slowly widened his eyes and stared at Lin Xiaoyou, his gaze going blank.

…What was this girl talking about?

What were those people trying to do?

Lin Xiaoyou shrank her neck slightly under his stare. Still typing, she hurriedly explained:

“But apparently, Dawn Corporation stopped them!”

“They said something about… a customized design that belongs exclusively to the purchaser! Unless the purchaser gives permission, they’ll pursue the matter legally!”

“Apparently… that scared everyone off!”

Fang Qi: “……”

Er…

The inexplicable anger that had just risen in his heart suddenly vanished. He felt as though even his eyes had become clearer.

He blinked, suddenly feeling that…

Dawn Corporation could actually be pretty pleasing to the eye sometimes.

At that moment, Lin Xiaoyou raised her phone again and grinned.

“Look, Senior! Here’s the news story!”

Fang Qi immediately held his breath slightly and lowered his eyes to look…

The phone screen still displayed the notebook interface:

[Huh? Senior, what are you thinking about?]

[That Super Core belonging to the super AI in Dawn’s backend is located right at the center of Dawn’s massive computing facility!]

[It’s been physically connected to countless facilities for ages. There’s no way it can be removed!]

[It’s responsible for regulating all of Dawn, and even the operation of the entire city! How could it possibly be stuffed into an AI companion?]

[Is Dawn out of its mind?!]

…Ah.

Behind him, Ling’er’s soft voice drifted over once more:

“Miss Liguang, this tea was specially prepared to suit its master’s tastes.”

“Mm. Liguang finds it quite distinctive.”

But Fang Qi stared at those few lines and froze.

…He really hadn’t known that.

He knew only that the super AI was incredibly powerful. He had never stopped to think about where it actually “lived.”

He had assumed that, like Liguang, the super AI carried a core around and wandered wherever it pleased.

But that made sense, too.

As Dawn’s “backend,” how could that super AI possibly be allowed to move around freely like Liguang?

If it could come and go as it pleased, then how could it still be called a “backend”?

It ought to stay obediently among all that computing power, using its supercomputing abilities to command and coordinate even more computing power…

“Senior, let me find you another interesting one!”

Lin Xiaoyou withdrew her phone and began typing rapidly again.

Her fingers flew across the screen with a clatter. Clearly, she was getting a little anxious, too!

It looked like she was genuinely afraid that if she was even a moment too slow, she would revert to being foolish again!

She raised her phone:

[But Senior, I don’t think your guess was entirely wrong, either!]

[Based on what this Ling’er has done to me and her current condition, I’ve also deduced…]

[This Ling’er really is connected to Dawn’s backend super AI!]

Fang Qi narrowed his eyes slightly.

Connected?!

“…What does this news mean? I don’t quite understand it.”

Fang Qi scratched his head sheepishly.

“Ah, explaining it is such a hassle. I’ll show you the comments instead!”

Lin Xiaoyou typed for a while longer, then raised her phone again:

[Although she can’t possibly possess a super core, she most likely…]

[Is connected to that Dawn super AI through the internet!]

[In other words… the super AI in Dawn’s backend may very well be controlling her through the internet!]

What?!

Fang Qi stared at the words and froze for a moment.

…Controlling her through the internet? The internet…?

…Ah!

His eyes sharpened, and enlightenment struck him like a bolt from the blue!

That made sense… It really did!

He stared at those lines as his mind began racing once more.

Sure enough, talking with smart people was different. Speaking with Miss Genius made him feel as though his own brain had gotten quite a bit smarter, too!

He understood what Miss Genius meant!

Put simply…

Ling’er herself might only possess an ordinary AI companion core!

That core might not even have awakened yet! That would explain why she behaved the way she did now!

That was why Liguang had said she was an unawakened AI companion!

And an unawakened AI companion wouldn’t overthink anything. It would simply obediently serve tea, pour water, and respond when spoken to.

But…

Fang Qi tilted his head slightly and looked at the gentle, black-haired maid with twin ponytails.

The super AI in Dawn’s backend could control her through the internet!

To put it plainly…

Ling’er’s local core had mediocre specifications! Her locally deployed processing power was nothing special!

But…

Why insist on local deployment?

Wasn’t this exactly what she was doing…

Calling upon Dawn’s backend super AI through an API!

Summoning divine assistance through a network connection!

Ling’er was essentially a remotely controlled puppet with insufficient local computing power. Her body was here…

But her mind was somewhere far away!

That was what it meant, right?!

While he was having his mental brainstorm, Lin Xiaoyou began typing again with a series of rapid taps.

Then she raised her phone for him to see:

[Also, I strongly suspect that this Ling’er… may very well be the method that Dawn’s backend super AI used to sneak out!]

[It deliberately borrowed this body to slip away! Dawn might not even know about it!]

[Although it isn’t controlling Ling’er’s body right now, it must be watching everything from somewhere!]

Fang Qi: “…!!”

He stopped pretending and stared straight at her.

—What should I do now?

Lin Xiaoyou’s lips curled up slightly.

“Hehe, Senior, did you get so absorbed in the news that you spaced out? The news really is fascinating!”

She put on a silly, absentminded act.

Then she lowered her head, typed a few more words, and held up the phone:

[I think that if Senior wants to ask it something, you can just ask her directly! The “it” behind her should be able to hear you!]

[Of course, before that, you could give it a little scare.]

Lin Xiaoyou giggled, lowered her phone, typed a few more characters, and raised it again:

[CUT. HER. INTERNET. OFF!]

Fang Qi opened his mouth.

Cut off her internet? That really could work…!

Suddenly, Lin Xiaoyou’s eyes grew unfocused.

Huh?!

His pupils contracted.

The Miss Genius before him twitched at the corner of her mouth, her expression suddenly turning anxious…

Then she immediately began typing again, her fingers flying across the screen!

[Senior, I’m about to become an idiot again! I’m counting on you from here on out! You have to save me!]

[And… whatever you do, don’t let Xiaoqing find out about this!!]

[Otherwise, I’m doomed!!!]

Uh…

Fang Qi’s eyelid twitched as he read those lines. He suddenly found the situation both ridiculous and amusing.

So that was what she was afraid of?!

Well, that made sense. If he were in her place—or Liguang’s—he would be afraid, too!

Then he saw her withdraw her phone and swiftly delete all the records. Her movements were crisp and practiced.

Fang Qi opened his mouth, about to say something…

But the words were forced back down his throat.

Because Lin Xiaoyou’s eyes grew unfocused again, and then…

They went blank.

After refocusing, she blinked her almond-shaped eyes. Her small, round face was filled with confusion as she stared blankly at him.

“Eh? Senior?”

“I was just…”

…Ah.

Fang Qi’s lips stiffened for a moment.

He closed his mouth and lowered his eyes.

Everything that had just happened had been far too fast—so fast that it felt like…

A clandestine exchange known only to him and Lin Xiaoyou.

Now the contact had turned back into an idiot. Miss Genius’s intelligence had escaped once again.

He slowly turned his head and looked toward Liguang and Ling’er.

Ling’er remained as gentle and obedient as ever, standing completely still with her eyes lowered.

And Liguang…

She was still smiling kindly at him, her gaze never having shifted even once.

The corners of her mouth were curved upward, and so were her eyes, but…

Her crimson pupils were already shining brightly!

They stared at him with a deep, eerie intensity!

“Senior?”

The ditzy sweetheart in front of him tilted her head again and looked at him.

Fang Qi sat frozen on the sofa.

In front of him was the confused Lin Xiaoyou.

Beside him was Liguang, so kind and gentle that she seemed ready to explode.

Behind him was Ling’er, still docile and unresponsive—but clearly very problematic…

…Fang Qi suddenly felt his brain beginning to burn.

Huh?

No, wait…

Hold on!

Stop!

Time, freeze!!

Could you all… could you all give me a moment to think this through?!