A moment later, Li Andy and the two others walked out from the side, like chess players who had been waiting for a long time.
It was just the grass on Sophia's head that somewhat affected the atmosphere, exposing the fact that they had been hiding in the bushes.
"Oh~~~ My Officer!"
The unfaithful Zorro broke free from Meilin and bounced back into Li Andy's palm.
Meilin looked at her palm, a little sad, but did not complain.
"So, what are you doing?"
Li Andy took over the conversation and asked again.
"Recycling."
Meilin replied once more,
"I'm filtering the spirits extracted from these little guys, selecting the best seeds."
"Didn't you say you had no past memories?" Li Andy asked.
"I have no memories."
Meilin looked lost as she gazed at the starry sky,
"But I just know how to do this; it's like an instinct, as if... this is the meaning of my existence."
It was as if it was code etched into her base genes....
Meilin smiled as she looked at the three of them,
"Now, I'm tired. Can you help me? Little Zorro promised me."
"Why?"
Sophia frowned, very confused. She clutched her sword hilt; she had originally thought there would be a fight.
Li Andy's gaze shifted slightly, and he asked:
"The best seed, that's you, isn't it?"
Meilin paused, then nodded gently, a hint of sadness in her expression, as she pressed her hand to her chest and said:
"At first, with each restart, my heart beat a little faster. Each time, I could see interesting differences. But as the number of times increased, I gradually felt something was wrong... Now, at the end of each cycle, there's a very empty feeling here, it's very uncomfortable... This is probably the sign that I'm about to mature."
Li Andy pondered for a few seconds, then said:
"That's loneliness."
"Loneliness?" Meilin looked up, puzzled.
Li Andy explained,
"Consciousness is born from self; cognition shapes personality; emotion forges the soul. You are imitating humans, and you are becoming more and more like a human, so naturally, you will have human flaws. Although, I don't know whether those emotions are real or fake."
"I see..."
Meilin pondered for a moment, then smiled with relief,
"Then please continue to help me. Self-destruction also seems to be a part of being human."
Li Andy was silent for a moment, then raised his gun.
"Bang!"
But his bullet did not hit her squarely between the eyebrows; instead, it shattered the girl's shoulder.
No blood bloomed from the wound; looking into the opening, one could see interlocking, rotating gears.
Sophia and Youxi, who were standing by, couldn't help but be stunned.
Meilin, however, frowned slightly and asked:
"Why? Do you pity me?"
Li Andy shook his head and said:
"Killing you won't unlock the domain. You have to give me the Clockwork Heart."
"Heart?"
Meilin was stunned for a moment, then finally remembered something, a smile blooming on her face as she took off her outer clothing and spread her arms,
"Alright, come on, break me."
Li Andy didn't hesitate and raised his gun again.
"Bang!"
The bullet flew, and her delicate body, outwardly no different from an ordinary person, shattered tragically yet beautifully under the merciless impact.
A heart constructed entirely of metal fell from within, precise gears rotating against each other, faintly glowing muscle fibers pulsating rhythmically.
Li Andy's blood surged, and he caught it in his hand before it hit the ground.
Related memories slowly surfaced.
"Relic: Clockwork Heart"
"Cipher: The rhythm of machinery is the shackles of fate"
"Ability: Spirit Body Storage"
"Description: Your soul becomes more resilient and malleable, capable of adhering to metal constructs, thereby allowing control and perception..."
"Side Effects: 1. You will develop a particular fondness for machinery, even wanting to sleep while hugging cold machines. 2. If the soul remains stored in a metal body for too long, it will gradually lose human emotions and even memories. 3. Machinery you frequently possess is prone to developing its own 'emotions.'"
"Suggestion: While we know you enjoy piloting Gundams, please do not store your soul for more than a week."
"Production Team Message: When a machine gains consciousness and self, can it be called a 'human'?"
Li Andy gazed at the pulsating mechanical heart, and a feeling of thirst arose. The shadow beneath him began to stir, as if whispering to him in urging tones:
"Eat it... swallow it... digest it!"
But the next second, Li Andy stomped his foot hard, and the shadow returned to its original state, the desire forcibly suppressed.
At the same time, the sky became blurry, layer upon layer, as if about to disappear.
At Li Andy's signal, the three quickly stood side by side, waiting to leave.
Sophia looked at the gradually dissipating mechanical parts, her brows slightly furrowed.
Li Andy noticed her expression and asked:
"Do you feel it's too rushed, very unaccustomed? Do you think each floor should be harder than the last?"
"Mhm." Sophia nodded, not bothering to pretend she understood.
Li Andy explained,
"It should indeed be that way normally, but she and that strange entity outside are not the same thing. We've been guided by her all the way here."
Sophia raised an eyebrow:
"There are two kinds of monsters? And they're hostile to each other?"
Li Andy nodded gently, looking at the gradually separating sky, and gripped the hands of the two girls:
"Get ready!"
The next moment, space began to peel away.
The three seemed to detach from the dimension of this world, like two different layers, seemingly close but never intersecting.
The entanglement between reality and illusion began to dissolve and dissipate.
The feeling of weightlessness struck again.
Their vision blurred, and the three landed on the shattered stage.
Li Andy looked up; three Nuns were battling fiercely with the Clockwork Dancer.
The gigantic Dancer swayed in the center, its blade-like limbs colliding and spinning against the Faceless Nun's crucifixes, sending out tiny sparks.
Sister Aya, who was dual-wielding and shooting, was full of surprise:
"That fast?"
Li Andy frowned:
"How long were we gone?"
"Ten minutes, eight seconds!"
Emi leaped high, her steam gauntlets smashing hard into the Dancer's knee joint.