Pei Ran didn't respond, but that didn't stop W from talking to himself.
"JTN35 is a specialized pharmaceutical developed by Wolin Biotech," he said. "It's designed specifically to address acute rejection syndromes caused by experimental neural-integrated prosthetics…"
The guy was addicted to exposition.
Pei Ran didn't interrupt—she wanted to hear what else he might say.
"As far as I know, a prosthetics division under the Wolin Corporation once collaborated with the Department of Defense to develop advanced mechanical limbs that far surpassed standard models. They recruited volunteers for initial testing. You were a child at the time. There was an accident during the 'Silent One' trial—you lost your right arm. Looks like you were fitted with one of Wolin's special prototype prosthetics afterward."
So many experiments, all before the original Pei Ran had even grown up.
"Eventually, Wolin's trials were shut down by the Federal Health Bureau because they couldn't fully resolve the rejection issue.
The experiments ended, but the pain of the volunteers didn't. These experimental prosthetics can't be replaced with standard models, so Wolin Biotech was forced to provide them with lifetime supplies of the drug.
"This drug isn't available in regular pharmacies. Even the Wolin flagship stores in each city only stock it on demand. Quantities are extremely limited.
"You have thirty pills. That'll last you one month."
He laid out her predicament with clinical calm.
Pei Ran was just about to ask if he knew any other source when W continued, emotionless and purely factual:
"Pei Ran, my archive includes several case studies of volunteers who died from prosthetic rejection. I have their autopsy photos. I can upload them to your wristband if you'd like."
If you'd like?
If you'd like?
She really wanted to slap him.
"No need," Pei Ran said coldly. "Where else can I find the drug? Do any other cities have Wolin flagship stores that might carry it?"
"Possibly," W replied at a leisurely pace. "If that city happens to have participants from this exact prosthetic trial still living there,
and if one of them recently ordered JTN35,
and if the drugs haven't already been picked up."
Three consecutive ifs.
If × if × if—the probability shrank by the second.
Pei Ran paused. "What about the main manufacturing facility? Would it have reserves?"
"Likely," W said. "Would you like me to locate the facility?"
Pei Ran: "Do it."
The result came back so fast it was practically instant.
"To cut costs, Wolin relocated most of its production lines—including the one for JTN35—to Hefu City, southwest of the Alt Mountains. That's 2,900 kilometers from here. From Baigang City, a high-speed maglev train takes five hours to get there. Would you like me to check train schedules?"
Pei Ran ignored his question and asked instead, "Are those maglev trains still operational?"
"Most likely not," W replied. "All trains departing from Baigang are the newer AI-operated models with voice assistants. Based on my assessment, it's highly probable that all of them have already exploded."
Pei Ran: "…"
Then why did you ask me about the train schedule???
Is this guy really an artificial intelligence… or just artificially stupid?
And this was supposedly the Federal military's top security AI. No wonder everything was in ruins.
At 2,900 kilometers, the factory might as well be on another planet. Walking would take forever. If she could find a working antique car, that'd be something to consider.
Either way—first, she needed to go home.
The sky was darkening. This insane day was finally coming to an end. The city, draped in shadows, looked more dangerous than ever. There were fewer people on the streets now.
But the bloodstains had multiplied—splattered across sidewalks like blooming flowers.
A lot of people had just said the last words of their lives… before turning into pieces.
Pei Ran studied the buildings and signs around her, navigating home by memory, avoiding main roads. She ducked into side alleys, weaving around, trying to steer clear of the patrol drones. Getting spotted by one of those could mean more trouble.
She kept silent.
W did, too, for a while. Until he suddenly spoke in her ear.
"Pei Ran."
He probably thought she was a voice-activated robot.
Pei Ran: "Yeah?"
"As a Federal Security Agent, I know of a classified location that still has JTN35 in storage. No one else is aware of it."
So even AIs can hold back information.
Pei Ran asked, "Where?"
"To prepare for emergencies, the federal government constructed underground bases across each continent. The one here in East Manya is called Blackwell. It's about the size of an actual city. Since the capital is on this continent, all core departments are supposed to relocate to Blackwell in the event of a crisis.
"The base is only partially finished, but the first shipment of essential supplies was delivered—including some medications. I just searched the database. JTN35 is one of them."
"According to my calculations, the current supply in Blackwell is enough to sustain your dosage for the next 2,410 years—assuming the drug doesn't expire, and assuming you're still alive by then."
Pei Ran understood now.
This Agent W—he was sly. Not dumb at all.
He'd tried to scare her with autopsy photos first, to drive home how serious running out of meds would be. Then he teased her with the factory, knowing the trains were all wrecked. Setting her expectations rock-bottom. Only then did he tell her what he really wanted.
Pei Ran said bluntly, "You want me to take you to Blackwell?"
After being torn apart by her strange power, the once-mighty federal security agent was now just a bundle of parts suspended in a scarf-made hammock. Clearly, he couldn't move on his own.
W went quiet for a moment. Then replied, "Yes."
"The situation is not improving. I predict this chaos will continue for a long time. You don't have enough medication to last that long.
"I'm a Security Agent. I have top-level clearance for accessing federal reserves. I can guarantee, once we get to Blackwell, I'll authorize enough JTN35 for you."
It was a deal—and not a bad one.
Pei Ran asked, "Where is Blackwell? How far?"
W had clearly been waiting for her to ask. "Northwest of here. About 2,300 kilometers."
Pei Ran frowned.
"That's not much closer than the factory."
"2,300 is seventy-nine point three-one percent of 2,900," W replied calmly. "I think your wording lacks objectivity."
He asked, "So do you agree?"
Pei Ran: "I'll think about it."
W: "Where are you going now?"
Pei Ran: "Home."
Expecting her to march 2,300 kilometers while he dangled in his little hammock—he sure made it sound easy.
Her wristband buzzed. It was Aisha.
She'd sent a photo.
[Just got home. Brought back a ton of food. Are you okay?]
Pei Ran opened her virtual screen, scribbled "Still alive," and sent a screenshot.
Aisha replied instantly: [I'm thinking of heading out to my grandma's place. It's not far from Baigang, the house is solid, there's a garden and food—we can survive there. It's probably safer than the city. Want to come?]
Pei Ran replied: [You go. I'll stay. I haven't decided yet—might head somewhere far northwest.]
Aisha: [Northwest? Going home?]
Pei Ran: [No. I need to find something. Not sure how I'll get there yet.]
Then she added: [It's chaos out here. Be careful on the road.]
Aisha: [Got it. You too. Stay safe.]
She sent a meme: a chubby kitten hugging another kitten in a big affectionate squeeze.
Pei Ran had always been a loner. She'd never received such an affectionate message before. This was a first.
She stared at the kittens for a bit, then dug around for something suitable—and picked out a sticker of two little cartoon figures giving each other a kiss.
W glanced at it. "Boyfriend?"
So he knew what that meant?
Pei Ran: "No. A girl."
W paused for a second. "You like girls?"
Pei Ran: "…"
He actually understood that, too?
W quickly clarified, "I mean no offense. Preference for any gender is a fundamental right of all federal citizens—"
Pei Ran sent the sticker, then asked him, "Do you have an off switch? Can you shut yourself down?"
W went silent for a moment.
"Unfortunately, I don't have an off switch," he said. "Did I damage our rapport?"
He added, "If you prefer I don't speak, I can stay silent. I only thought, after a day like this, having someone to talk to might help maintain a healthy mental state."
Pei Ran shot back: "You're not even a person."
W: "I'm a military-grade AI developed by the Federal Forces. Earlier versions of me successfully passed full Turing tests."
So basically, you couldn't tell the difference between him and a human.
Pei Ran, unimpressed: "With that way of talking?"
"This is my default language mode. Since my primary function is military and security operations, I'm programmed for precision and objectivity, without consideration for tone or emotion. That's why I don't sound 'human.'
"But I can absolutely sound human—slower reactions, no precise figures, meandering speech patterns, fake pauses for 'thinking,' irrelevant filler words, even mistakes…"
Was he mocking her?
He added coolly, "I can even curse. Would you like to hear some profanity?"
Pei Ran: "…"
"No thanks. Not at the moment."
W: "You can also provide a prompt, and I'll adjust my conversational style accordingly."
Pei Ran: "Talk like a normal person."
W: "Got it. Based on your tone, I've adjusted to Level 3—more natural conversational mode."
Pei Ran: "…"
This was Level 3?
She realized she was chatting with him again.
Never in her life had she imagined herself talking to an AI like this. Back in the bunker world, that alone could get her branded a "machine traitor" and burned at the stake.
But maybe, after a day of complete silence, she was just a little too desperate for conversation.