Chapter 2116: If I Were an AI, Would You Love Me? 27

Jin Chen's fingers swiftly slid through the air, pulling up a stack of yellowed electronic files, and Xu Xuxing curiously glanced over.

Xu He and Song Shoujie sat at his side, their expressions solemn.

The case records on the screen looked like yellowed old photos, bearing a striking red warning label.

Similar Case One:

Patient: male, 32 years old.

Symptoms: On New Era Year 15, May 15, after skin contact with humans, severe itching and red swelling suddenly appeared, accompanied by breathing difficulty and dizziness. The symptoms lasted several hours before subsiding on their own, but thereafter recurred repeatedly.

Pathogen record: An unknown microorganism was detected, provisionally named "X-12"; its structure resembles that of a certain mutant fungus, but it possesses extremely strong infectivity and adaptability.

Treatment outcome: death.

Similar Case Two:

Patient: female, 28 years old.

Symptoms: On New Era Year 15, May 1, after contact with humans, a full-body rash appeared, accompanied by low fever and joint pain. The symptoms lasted several days, during which the patient could hardly move normally.

Pathogen record: Detected a variant of "X-12" named "X-12a", with greater toxicity and infectivity, and completely immune to conventional antibiotics.

Treatment outcome: death.

Similar Case Three:

Patient: male, 18 years old.

Symptoms: On New Era Year 15, May 18, after contact with humans, severe respiratory symptoms appeared, accompanied by skin ulceration and systemic inflammation. The symptoms lasted several weeks, ultimately leading to organ failure.

Pathogen record: Detected another variant of "X-12" named "X-12b", with extremely strong destructiveness, almost impossible to cure.

Treatment outcome: death.

There were exactly three such cases.

Xu Xuxing's calm gaze was broken; he stared blankly at the dates above, then furrowed his brow and leaned into Jin Chen's embrace.

Song Shoujie's face grew increasingly solemn.

He had not failed to suspect that Xu Xuxing's illness stemmed from infection, nor had he failed to act on it.

But he had never investigated these cases.

Song Shoujie said in a hoarse voice, "I led the team into the contaminated zone thirty-seven times, screening nearly all similar samples, and these pathogens simply do not exist."

He suddenly paused, a flicker of fear flashing in his eyes, "Unless… it's the core zone; so far, very few humans have been able to enter the core zone, and even robots find it difficult to conduct sampling there,"

Jin Chen: "As long as it exists, it can prove that Xingxing's illness is not coincidental."

Xu Xuxing said: "My birthday."

He lowered his eyes, playing with Jin Chen's cufflinks, his voice soft and light: "On New Era Year 15, May 10, I spent my fifth birthday outdoors."

It's strange, but the memory is vivid.

Because among the few memories of having parents accompany me, only that year's birthday was the liveliest.

Before age five my memories are not complete; after age five, only robots kept me company.

Xu He suddenly lifted his head, his gaze sharp, he drew a vacuum blood tube from the storage cabinet: "Xiaoxu, I need your blood sample to conduct a comprehensive analysis again."

Xu Xuxing, accustomed to it, extended his arm: "Draw."

Xu He picked up the needle, about to proceed, but Jin Chen took it over: "Let me do it."

Xu Xuxing tilted his head, resting on his shoulder, and rolled up his sleeve.

Jin Chen skillfully and gently inserted the needle into Xu Xuxing's skin.

After drawing the blood, Jin Chen gently withdrew the needle, pressed a cotton ball to the puncture site, but Xu Xuxing pulled his hand back, looked up at Jin Chen.

It's not like this at home.

Jin Chen noticed Xu Xuxing's gaze, and they shared a tacit understanding.

He lowered his eyes, his lips lightly touching the tiny bead of blood on his fingertip, the motion so natural it seemed he had done it countless times.

Xu He: "……"

Song Shoujie: "……"

The researchers couldn't bear to watch this scene.

Xu He's temples throbbed; he was now absolutely certain that some pathogens need not be brought out of the contaminated zone—this very room was breeding the most dangerous virus, called Love Brain.

After the sampling was done, Jin Chen's finger lightly swiped across the screen, and all the case data were instantly encrypted and locked.

He lifted his gaze to Xu He and Song Shoujie, his deep-blue pupils like ice‑tempered glass beads.

"These data must remain completely confidential," he said, tapping his fingers on the table as his expression darkened slightly, "Everyone at the research center—including Xingxing's parents."

In his view, the prime suspects now are that mysterious pair of parents.

Song Shoujie: "We'll conduct the investigation together with you; you can rest assured."

Xu Xuxing spaced out for a moment, then after hearing this, he sincerely thanked his two close friends.

Then he grabbed Jin Chen's right hand, which he had always kept hidden, and pulled up his sleeve.

Androids lack human cells, so once injured they cannot self‑heal.

And when Jin Chen gets into a fight, he hardly has the luxury to worry about such things—this crack keeps deepening, looking rather shocking.

"What's going on?" Xu Xuxing's voice carried repressed emotion as his fingertip lightly traced the crack.

In his nightly communications, he never mentioned it.

His android has indeed learned to go bad.

Jin Chen shifted his gaze somewhat uncomfortably, speaking in a casual tone: "Actually, I don't know either."

Xu Xuxing didn't indulge his evasion; he seized Jin Chen's wrist firmly, his tone resolute, leaving no room for refusal.

"Come upstairs; I'm going to repair your body."

Xu He, who had just been about to ask whether help was needed, hissed, hurried over to discuss the case with his wife, and as soon as the guest room door opened, he slipped away.

——

The lights of the exclusive laboratory turned on, and Xu Susxing took out the repair tools from the cabinet.

Jin Chen sat on the edge of the experimental bed, shut off the pain system, and let Xu Susxing tinker.

The fluorescent blue patches where the synthetic skin had fused glowed faintly, and the metallic-feeling skeleton was distinctly palpable beneath the skin.

The crack on the back of the hand was healing fairly quickly.

Jin Chen lowered his gaze and said frankly, "Xingxing, I have wounds too."

Xu Susxing looked at him, gave a slight nod, imitating Jin Chen's usual manner when he didn't want to take medicine, raised his hand and pinched his ear, lifting it up.

"You lied to me, saying you would be careful."

Jin Chen blinked his peach-blossom eyes, his deep blue pupils revealing exhaustion, "I don't want to either, but there are too many mechanical bodies fighting me."

Xu Susxing immediately let go, bent down to peck his lip corner, and went Soft-hearted.

Jin Chen quickly pressed down his lip corner, briefly returning the kiss.

"All right, come closer." Xu Susxing gave his shoulder a push.

Jin Chen's shirt was lightly lifted, revealing several deeper mechanical scars on his abs, as if cut by some sharp instrument.

"Bite this." Xu Susxing rolled up his shirt, his tone a bit stern.

Jin Chen: "……"

Playing like this is so exciting.

He obediently bit the hem of his shirt between his teeth, but his gaze kept falling on Xu Susxing's face, watching his focused expression, and a wave of softness rose in his heart.