"Daddy!"
With a leap, Black Python jumped from the first floor directly to the fourth floor, landing on his own balcony. The daughter saw him and excitedly dashed over, while his wife, the glasses-wearing woman, was busy typing code in the virtual void.
Black Python let out a sigh of relief and gently embraced his daughter, a tiny bundle like a Barbie doll, though faintly visible were the cracks at crucial parts.
These werenât wounds, but the seams of a Bionic Man.
If it were an Advanced Bionics currently on the market, the seams could be removed. But obviously, this was not an advanced bionic.
And his wifeâlooking at the headset-like accessory on her head, it was clearâwas a Neural Editor.
A worker, a female programmer, a low-level bionic.
They formed a false yet real family.
Without turning her head, the wife said, "Iâm hacking into the cityâs registry website to erase our recordsâyours, mine, and the little oneâs. The Mechanical Eyeliner outside uses this info to catch people."
Black Python was shocked, "Wife, thatâs not right. Then weâll become undocumented, and our insurance will be wasted!"
The programmer wife couldnât help but roll her eyes, "Itâs world war now, and youâre still worried about social security?"
"Social security is a good thingâyou get a discount on medicine. Prices are so high nowadays, and besides, we still have a mortgage to pay," Black Python mumbled.
In a typical household, the man works outside, and the woman takes care of the inside, but in their family, itâs the opposite. The burly Black Python is actually a househusband.
"But wife, war, what war, whoâs fighting whom?"
"Corporate war, those monstrous tycoons are battling each other, making the world even more disgusting."
Saying this, the programmer wifeâs tone held a touch of disdain.
Although she had lost her memory, the habits from the previous personality still lingered. It seemed his wife was also someone with a past.
"Then letâs hurry and run away. Wherever thereâs no war, thatâs where weâll go. Iâll pack the luggage!"
"Daddy, I want candy!" the daughter said in a childish voice.
Black Python, busy packing, pulled out a large lollipop and slipped it into his daughterâs hand.
"Donât give her candy. Donât you know her new polyester material body can cause lactose intolerance?" the female programmer angrily snatched the lollipop away.
"Mild symptoms, a little wonât hurtâ" Seeing the expression of his fierce wife about to erupt, Black Python shrank his neck, lowering his tone by eighteen degrees.
"Where to run? The whole world is at war now!" the programmer sighed, frustrated, "And most importantly, the medicine is only sold in this city. What will we do outside?"
At these words, Black Python paused his actions, silent for a moment, and then said seriously, "No matter what, I will take you to a safe place!"
"But by then, I will be another me."
"Yes, I will still be with you."
"Fool, I wonât be me anymore, and you still want to stay with me? Are you planning to cheat?"
Although she said this, the programmerâs tone softened, walking over to gently stroke his rough hair roots.
She loved this man very much, but only this manânot the other personality.
True or false, she didnât care at all.
"Such a deep love between you two, truly enviable. So, I have a suggestion. Would the two of you like to hear it?"
Black Python quickly turned his head, and from the fist, red tendons like little snakes sprang up. Then the whole body was covered with red tendons, which evolved into Black Tendons, turning him into a steel-boned monster. The air seemed to thicken as a result.
He instantly stood in front of his wife and daughter, glaring at the other person with a fierce aura.
However, the figure on the sofa felt nothing and instead clicked their tongue in admiration.
"No wonder you were once the underground king of the Free Realm, Black Dragon. The power of Secondary Carbon Fusion is indeed strong."
On this planet, the most chaotic and disordered place, the most dazzling and luxurious, yet also the most advanced in underground technology, is called the Other Shore of Freedom.
It claims to be the closest to Mother City, yet farthest from Heaven.
Itâs said that every Cloud Nobility, every Governor, every heir of a super financial group, has a suite there.
And to be the underground king Black Pythonâno, Black Dragonâs level is self-evident.
"You know me?" Black Python wondered, thinking it might be an acquaintance of the other personality.
Gao Gong shook his head and looked at the other female programmer, "Scorpion, ranked 11th on the Mother City Wanted List, super female hacker who despises men. Once spread the âElectronic Impotence Virusâ online, causing millions of male creaturesâ Reproductive Systems to crash."
Hearing this, Black Pythonâs face froze, his sphincter tightened, and he stealthily moved aside.
"What nonsense are you spouting?" the female programmer said coldly.
"Itâs understandable that Black Python doesnât know his past, but even if youâve lost your memory, you wouldnât forget your skills. I believe youâve already found your network account, right?"
This couple, one a level 49 Gang Leader, the other a level 48 Dark Hacker, was also top figures in the New Clone Corps.
Gao Gong didnât expect to meet these two here, a pleasant surprise.
In the world storyline he understood, this couple first reached a cooperation agreement with the Johnson Groupâs bio-magnate Merkel. The Johnson Group provided âPersonality Balancing Agents,â and they helped Merkel handle many shady matters.
Later, for some reason, they betrayed the Johnson Group, killed one of Merkelâs clone forms, and officially joined the âNew Clone Corps,â declaring themselves adversaries of Mother City.
In a past life, players received many storyline quests from them, which enlightened them about these two NPCsâ backgrounds.
Gao Gong didnât expect to encounter them here, a delightful surprise.
The female programmer, or Scorpion, was silent for a moment, then said, "Whatâs your purpose?"
"As a hacker of your level, you should have figured out the content of the Corporate War. The Brain-Machine Plan is a global human transformation. Unless you become undocumented, you must accept the transformation. Youâre a hacker, so youâre aware of the seriousness of this modification."
"Your Du Gao Technology is also a participant in this war, donât act innocent."
Scorpion didnât know Gao Gong, but she could already guess that he was a member of Du Gao Technology, and certainly a senior executive.
"Weâre much better than them, at least we donât open peopleâs minds," Gao Gong shrugged, pulling out a helmet. "Once your brain is opened, hacking wonât be so easy. The Brain-Machine can open but not close. However, my Virtual Helmet has an on/off switch you control."
"So, would you like to join us?"
"If we join you, does your company provide insurance?" Black Python hesitated and blurted out.
"Of course, our company covers all insurances, including domestic violence insurance."
"Thatâs really... inappropriate," Black Pythonâs tone suddenly dropped eight degrees, shrinking under Scorpionâs cold gaze.
Black Python isnât Black Dragon; heâs just a mechanical worker afraid of his wife.
Gao Gong glanced at the little girl hugging Black Pythonâs leg, curiously looking at him, and smiled slightly, suddenly whispering a few words.
Just one sentence, and Scorpionâs eyes widened, "Is what you say true?"
"True or false, try it and see, you wonât lose anything anyway."
"Alright, if thatâs really the case, we can work for you."
"Wait, wife, whatâs wrong with my daughter, since when did the little one get sick, what kind of illness?"
"Itâs not a big deal, Iâll tell you later."
A moment later, Gao Gong watched as the couple packed their luggage, looking like migrant workers preparing to move, without any surprise.
In the previous storyline, the coupleâs turn to the dark side largely stemmed from their daughter.
A Bionic Man who was supposed to âdie in downtimeâ developed a new consciousness after taking âPersonality Balancing Agents.â
This was truly a bit of a bug.
"Um, new boss, umâ" Taking advantage of Scorpion being in the bathroom, Black Python sneakily slipped beside Gao Gong, a strange expression on his face mixed with a hint of sleaziness:
"Uh, boss, did my wife everâ"
"Donât worry, your wife was never married before, no ex-husbands."
The big guy let out a sigh of relief, patting his head, feeling an imaginary weight lift.
"But you werenât her first marriage."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Black Python was dumbfounded.
"Meaning, former underground world king Black Dragon, according to known records, had 13 wives, 26 mistresses, 142 bionic concubines, and countless one-night stands."
Black Python swallowed hard, his expression full of longing yet repulsion, finally turning to tears, and slowly looked backâonly to see his wife glaring at him with a murderous look.
"Boss, why did you say it so loudly!"
"I believe a good marital relationship shouldnât hide pasts from one another," Gao Gong shamelessly lied.
"Ah ah... donât hit... wife... donât kick... donât kick there."
"Boss... buy insurance... I want insurance!!!"