Chapter 16: Chapter Sixteen: Destined

January 12, 2074, 8:00

"Ding-ding-ding…"

"Mmm～, Yahweh… you're squishing my hair…" Xida, eyes closed, mumbled a complaint about someone too rough with the alarm.

"Sleep a bit longer… we're not working today…" Yahweh carefully shifted his left arm, which she used as a pillow.

"... Why?" After a moment, Xida lazily rolled over, pressing herself against him.

"You were exhausted yesterday…" Yahweh smiled helplessly, gently stroking Xida's silver hair with his free right hand.

"Hmph… who am I… I'm the one who…" Xida, eyes still shut, rubbed her face against his chest, mumbling incoherently.

"... Higher up…"

"How dare you order me… just a little Yahweh…" She pouted, but obediently pressed her cheek against his.

Yahweh softly cupped her flushed face, playing hide-and-seek with his lips against hers.

"Ah!" She snapped open her beautiful violet eyes, shoved out of his arms, and frantically wiped saliva off her face.

"Little Yahweh… so gross!" She frowned, gently bumping her head into his chest.

Yahweh smirked, watching the girl wriggling on his chest, then clamped his legs around her waist and flipped, pinning her beneath him.

"Surrender… surrender!" Xida couldn't move, slapping the sheets several times to signal defeat.

Yahweh smiled silently, preparing to deliver punishment.

"Ahh! Don't blow into my ear, it tickles! … I give up… ugh! … Don't touch my feet! … Mmm～"

January 12, 2074, 12:00

Xida touched her reddened lips in the mirror, feigning fury at the man behind her, grinning wickedly.

"Are you a three-year-old? So childish!"

"Pfft～" He stuck out his tongue in the mirror, "Only Xida has no right to say that."

"Tch…" Xida rubbed her waist, aching all over, wisely abandoning further provocation.

"What's wrong, Xida? You look like you want to say something but can't." He wrapped his arms around her slender waist, savoring the delicate lines and tight texture.

"You've suddenly become indistinguishable from a human…" She brushed her teeth, speaking muffled.

"Only in matters of love…" He rested his chin on her head, nuzzling gently.

"Oh…" She covered her flushed face with a damp towel.

"Are you entirely made of Nanobots now? You feel exactly like a real person…" She wiped her face, turned, and vigorously rubbed Yahweh's handsome face.

"Apart from lacking DNA information, I'm no different from a human…" He caught her mischievous little hands, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, "Didn't you already experience it?"

"Gross!" Xida pinched her nose, scowling and waving her hand dismissively.

"Who asked you to act like an old married couple this early?" Yahweh crossed his arms, shaking his head dramatically, "Xida, you're a child!"

"Tch!" Xida felt her head must be steaming—just a little Yahweh, why so smart!

"Alright, alright… good girl…" Yahweh sighed, pulling Xida tightly into his arms.

Her anxious, insecure demeanor made his chest ache faintly.

"Stop comforting me…" Xida sniffed, her nose slightly runny, tiptoeing to press her forehead against his chin, "I'm a full-grown adult now!"

"Alright, alright…" Yahweh dodged, sliding his hands under her armpits and lifting her up.

"What are you doing now?" She kicked her legs wildly, flailing like a silly, adorable child.

"Nothing…" He paused, "I'll solve the DNA issue…"

"How?" She swung in midair, wrapping her legs around his neck and clutching his head tightly.

"Ugh…" Yahweh's vision darkened; he struggled but couldn't break free from her antics, "I surrender…"

"Hmph…" Xida laughed triumphantly, leaping off him, "Keep going!" She continued teasing him by poking his abs.

"I'm working on creating a DNA sequence…"

"That's like putting the cart before the horse!" Xida gasped dramatically, then accidentally drooled a little.

"Something like that…"

"I *! What's the difference between you and God?"

"Hm?" Yahweh looked at Xida, puzzled. Xida tilted her head, looking back.

He rubbed his chin, then suddenly slapped his palm, gripping her thin shoulders, "You never went to school, did you?"

"What do you mean?" Xida exploded as expected, leaping to kick and punch him.

Finally got away with it…

Yahweh exhaled in relief—he never lied to Xida, except about this one thing.

Her stress is already too high, so insecure… such a stubborn little child…

"By the way, aren't we visiting Martinez's family today?" He changed the subject smoothly.

"Oh right! I almost forgot!" Xida patted her chest, checked the time, and rushed toward the living room to contact Gloria.

"Hey! Clothes!"

"Oh oh oh!" She blushed furiously, shot him a glare, and dashed to the living room closet.

What a silly girl…

Yahweh shook his head, gazing at his solid reflection in the mirror, touching his cheek.

He had made his choice. He had made a promise.

He had descended from the clouds, stepped into the mortal world.

He would not regret it.

January 12, 2074, 19:00

Xida pressed the elevator button for the third floor, leading Yahweh, his hands full of bags.

Yahweh felt his feet had already lost all sensation; he had merely gone grocery shopping, yet he had been wandering for three or four hours...

What would happen if they had children later? The big ones and the small ones causing trouble together...

He shivered all over, feeling the weather grow even colder.

"Luckily Gloria has the day off..." Xida tapped her lower lip lightly with her index finger, "By the way, we made such a huge commotion last night; the Company won't come looking for trouble, will they!"

At that moment, she remembered: the IQ of a woman in love indeed drops!

Yahweh rolled his eyes and explained grumpily, "Militech and Biotechnica are barely holding on to their own lives right now." He paused. "Militech has lost more than half its fighting strength in Night City; it's a severe blow. With their arch-rival Arasaka lurking nearby, they must keep a low profile for a while..."

"As for Biotechnica..." he snorted coldly, "Yesterday, I replaced the live broadcast feed of News Channel 54 with footage of the side effects of the painkiller 'Securicine', looping it for an hour. Their company's reputation and stock price have plummeted. Add to that the fact that I intercepted their secret weapon—the bio-nanomachines—and they can be considered the biggest loser..."

"Why didn't you just wipe them all out..." Xida had wanted to ask this long ago. Ever since witnessing that divine punishment descending from the sky like a miracle, she had finally gained a slight concept of Yahweh's power.

"Just weeds; pull one batch, and another grows..." He walked out of the elevator with Xida and said softly, "I am waiting for the right moment, for the moment when my fire can ignite the entire world..."

"If you are the divine fire that destroys the world, then I am the one who holds high the torch..." Xida stopped, turned, and gazed at him, the resolve overflowing in her eyes shining as brilliantly as the sun.

"Then let us together set this world ablaze..." He lowered his head and gently kissed the lips she leaned in to offer.

From the moment they met under the moon, they were destined to be inseparable.