Chapter 398: Subject Seven (1)
The AI and the Mess
When the underground base was first built, the Kryptonian girl's immense strength made her the sole designated laborer, all to avoid trouble.
Recalling that experience, Linda wanted to curse. She must have been out of her mind to let that guy sweet-talk her into moving all that stuff.
I, the eldest daughter of the House of El, a Kryptonian powerhouse with unmatched combat strength, became free labor for an Earth native!
"Despicable! Too despicable!"
"Luke Shaw is a scoundrel, a huge liar, a great demon, and a bloodsucker! Meeting him has brought me eight lifetimes of bad luck."
The more Linda thought about it, the angrier she got. Her fists clenched audibly, feeling the urge to smash something. She secretly vowed to teach Luke a lesson the moment she saw him.
Unfortunately, the idea was pleasant, but the reality was a different scene entirely.
The base was messy—unbelievably so. Calling it a pigsty wouldn't be an exaggeration. Garbage was strewn everywhere: food wrappers, chopsticks, cutlery, empty water bottles, and more. There wasn't even room to step. The air was filled with a pungent smell, like old, dried fish.
Linda pinched her nose and waved her hands repeatedly.
"It stinks! Doesn't he ever clean up?"
"The Young Master is busy," AVA explained.
"Oh, please. I don't believe that! He's just lazy. A big sloth."
AVA, floating in mid-air, clarified, "The Young Master works eighteen hours a day. The remaining six hours are used for eating and sleeping. He genuinely has no time."
Linda's mouth twitched. She shivered, remembering something.
"Don't tell me he hasn't taken a bath since May! That's too gross!"
"The Young Master cleanses every thirteen days."
"Why thirteen days?"
"You'll know shortly."
AVA offered no further explanation and continued to lead the way. Linda thought she caught a flicker of human-like annoyance on the face of the AI.
Especially when Linda pointed out that Luke was too dirty, the AI actually seemed angry.
"Has it evolved to this level already?"
Linda thought to herself. This AI named AVA reminded her of the smart housekeeper Jor-El on the Fortress of Solitude. The difference was that Kryptonian robotics laws were very mature, placing many restrictions and modifications on AI construction to prevent them from developing human emotions or autonomous consciousness.
Luke clearly lacked this awareness. He only fixed the core source program and made no other modifications. If things continued this way, this AI named AVA would sooner or later become a huge problem.
No, it's already a problem.
Linda narrowed her eyes, examining AVA from top to bottom. The more she looked, the more wrong it felt.
The holographic image of "AVA" was a woman—a hot, sexy, beautiful young girl with boundless vitality. Her figure and looks combined all the best features of Barbara Gordon, Linda Danvers, Emily Song, and Carol Ferris. No wonder she felt vaguely familiar—that was the reason.
What was it trying to do? What was its goal?
Had it developed self-awareness and started mimicking human behavior?
No. Linda decided she had to talk to Luke. She absolutely could not allow Earth to repeat Krypton's catastrophe.
Wars between robots and humans weren't just science fiction stories. When artificial intelligence reached a certain level, conflict with humanity was inevitable. Krypton had experienced intelligent wars more than once, and while Kryptonians had always won, the price paid was always catastrophic.
Earth's technology was still backward, but the emergence of AVA was a serious warning to Linda.
Krypton was destroyed. Whether she admitted it or not, Earth was her new home, and she did not want to see legions of robots launch an attack on human forces in her new home.
That scenario was terrifying.
The first underground level was a garbage dump, but the second floor was much cleaner—at least it didn't smell as bad.
Linda surveyed the surroundings. Her gaze fell on a shelf of armor models, and she frowned.
"Is Luke Shaw developing a new type of power armor?"
"I apologize, I cannot answer your question."
Tch!
Linda pursed her lips, very annoyed with this AI named "AVA." An AI dressed so provocatively, even swaying her hips when she walked—who was she showing off for?
AVA stopped at the entrance to the third level.
"The Young Master is on the third level. I have work to attend to, so I won't be accompanying you any further."
With a pop, the holographic light scattered, and the figure vanished.
Linda huffed loudly, feeling even more irritated. An AI throwing a tantrum? Who did she think she was?
I'll change your source code another day. We'll see how arrogant you are then.
With fire in her heart, the girl kicked open the door. Just as she was about to speak, a soul-deep chill, like a cutting winter wind, struck her. Fear took root in her heart, instantly growing into a towering tree. She stood there, frozen in shock, unable to utter a single word.
A faint layer of green mist was floating in the vast underground space. Pain-filled human faces occasionally surfaced from the mist, like wailing ghosts.
The mist brushed against her body, bringing with it a chilling cold that pierced the soul, mingled with the searing pain of being burned on a pyre. The two sensations intertwined, making her feel as if her soul were being consumed by a flame made of ice.
Fortunately, the feeling didn't last long. After just a few seconds, the mist dissipated.
A strange yet familiar figure emerged from the laboratory. He had a face identical to Luke's, but he wore an open-chested shirt that Luke would never wear. His long hair was meticulously styled and slicked back with wax. His cheeks were as smooth as a peeled egg, and even before he arrived, Linda could smell the faint fragrance of lavender.
The man walked with a flamboyant, swaying gait—a slight bend in his arms, a little wiggle in his hips—exuding a unique masculine... flair.
"Oh my! If it isn't Linda! It's been too long, darling, I've missed you so much! Come here, let your sister... let me have a look. My, you've gotten prettier! Look how soft your skin is, I just want to touch it."
Linda backed away in terror, her scalp tingling, a cold shock shooting straight to her mind.
"Y-Y-You... Are you Luke?"
"Of course."
The figure extended a bent wrist, flicked the hair behind his ear, and cast a glance that was half-woeful, half-sultry, like rippling water. "What's wrong? Don't you recognize me after a few months? Oh, that really hurts my feelings."
Holy cow!
Linda swore aloud, completely shocked. Seeing the "man" try to approach, she twisted her body and, as if avoiding the plague, darted into a corner at an indiscernible speed.
"Now, now! Why are you running? Your sister won't eat you! Come on, let's chat. Your sister hasn't talked to an outsider in ages, I'm practically suffocating."
"Stop right there! Don't come any closer!"
Linda shouted, holding her hands up in a defensive posture. "If you take another step, don't blame me for what happens."
The "man" stamped his foot and said indignantly,
"Linda, if you keep this up, your sister is going to get angry! I haven't done anything to you, why do you keep avoiding me? It's so hurtful."
Linda was speechless, feeling an indescribable strangeness. After a long moment, she managed to force out a sentence.
"A-Are you... Are you really Luke?"
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