"Then I guess I've fulfilled my promise, right?"
As the experiment came to a temporary end, He Kui smiled.
"I suppose so~"
Serena's expression softened slightly upon hearing this.
She had indeed invited He Kui to work here before.
In fact, thinking about it differently, it was quite good for He Kui to stay here in this capacity.
He could help them fend off enemies when necessary.
Serena had seen He Kui's strength clearly in the previous two battles.
At the very least, he was on par with the Red Uniforms, even the Elite Red Coats.
One could say that as long as He Kui was around, they had nothing to worry about unless they encountered special forces or a large number of regular troops.
Serena also cooperatively hugged the little one in front of her.
"If He Kui stayed this small, he would be so cute."
The whisper in He Kui's ear was transmitted through the headset, reminding him of the Arcane Blade he had seen before.
However, the tenderness in Serena's tone was much stronger than that of anyone else he remembered.
"Is it cute~"
He Kui chuckled as he controlled the robot to place its hand on Serena's ample figure.
There was no sensation, but he had experience.
Even though Serena was significantly larger than the other girls, and even though there was a screen between them, He Kui was still incredibly skilled.
"Why is it warm?"
Serena initially wanted to push He Kui's mischievous hand away, but she suddenly realized it felt quite nice? Although the hand belonged to a robot, its outer skin was designed to mimic the feel of a human hand, and combined with its inherent warmth, it made her reluctant to push it away.
"It has a built-in heating function."
"What use is that?"
Though it felt comfortable, the serious-minded Serena still asked in confusion.
"Isn't it useful right now?"
If there were other researchers present, they would surely be speechless at this scene.
That cold beauty, the one who claimed that celestial bodies on Mars were her lover, was now utterly defenseless in front of a child.
Her ears were even turning red as if they might bleed.
"How inappropriate!"
Serena pushed He Kui away in annoyance.
"If we're talking about being inappropriate, isn't it you, Serena~"
Wasn't she teasing him every day just because he couldn't come to PLANT on purpose?
"That's not inappropriate! I just want to study the robot's structure!"
"Then Serena can take her time studying."
As He Kui's hand was about to continue its advance, Serena found herself unable to stop it.
He Kui had made this robot so well that aside from its eyes and some hidden joints, it was indistinguishable from a human.
Because of this, the guilt she felt towards the child made her heart race even more.
An unusual thrill flowed from her heart through her veins to her limbs, leaving her unable to mount any effective resistance.
After a slightly stimulating moment in the testing area, Serena lay limply on the chair.
The boy in front of her was gently smoothing her hair, which had become damp with sweat. Suddenly, Serena snapped back to reality and swatted away He Kui's small hand that was nestled in her hair.
"You didn't wash your hands just now, did you?!"
Serena's face flushed even more at this moment.
"Did I forget?"
He Kui wasn't doing it on purpose; after all, his robot had no sense of touch.
"When I have money in the future, I will definitely make a robot with touch sensitivity."
"You have that technology already!?"
Upon hearing He Kui's words, Serena momentarily forgot her discomfort and her eyes lit up.
"No."
"Hmph."
With a soft huff, she pulled her black stockings, which had slipped down to her calves, back up to her waist and put on her high heels, standing up from the experimental table.
"Where are you going?"
He Kui, following behind Serena, asked curiously.
"Going back to take a shower!"
She shot He Kui a fierce glare and quickened her pace.
Seeing this, He Kui merely smiled faintly.
[Your robot has provided Serena with a pleasant experience, Cosmic Adaptability +20]
[Cosmic Adaptability Level B: (9815/10000)]
The robot was effective, and it contributed more than giving gifts, so the next step was to increase the favorability.
On one side, He Kui was enjoying a moment with Serena, while on the other, the research at the base continued without pause.
Amidst this strange calm, the DSSD space station welcomed a visitor once again.
However, it was not Orb, but the Earth Alliance's Atlantic Federation.
"Hello."
Serena was still standing at the port.
He Kui stood behind her, the mint-colored dress and the white lab coat swaying with Serena's movements, looking quite beautiful.
Of course, He Kui didn't admire it for long before shifting his gaze to the visitors from the Atlantic Federation.
The elderly man with white hair at the forefront was the deputy director of the Atlantic Federation's Design Bureau.
He recognized him.
It was said that the Dagger series was his masterpiece.
He didn't know the two men behind him, but one of them looked at Serena with a hint of malice.
Seeing this made He Kui frown and pay closer attention to that man.
"I heard that you haven't made much progress recently. Are you stuck in a bottleneck?"
The elderly man squinted as he asked after reviewing the report in his hand.
Though he was old, he was not an easy opponent.
"Yes, Mr. Safin."
"We've encountered some difficulties with the heat exchange efficiency of the improved thermal nuclear engine for the thrusters."
"I see."
Upon hearing Serena's response, the old man continued to probe the topic with a few more questions.
Of course, it felt more like a test than a genuine inquiry; each question was professional, and if Serena hadn't prepared in advance and truly had no knowledge of the issue, she wouldn't have been able to handle it.
"Alright, it seems this is indeed a complex problem."
Finally, the old man let Serena off the hook, nodding as he followed her toward the data library.
At the same time, he finally noticed He Kui, who had been standing silently to the side.
"I wonder who this child is?"
"My relative."
Serena replied with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
As Serena walked, He Kui, through the hidden camera at the back of his head, noticed that the man's gaze had become bolder.
It was as if Serena was already his possession.
"I wonder how long Mr. Safin plans to stay this time?"
Serena asked the old man as they walked, though she was mindful of the gaze behind her, she couldn't say much at the moment.
"One night. After all, it's rare for me to come here, so let this old bone of mine rest a bit."
The old man said cheerfully, looking quite amiable.
"Of course, that's no problem."
Hearing that he would stay for another day, Serena frowned, but as the financier, she could only nod in agreement.
(End of Chapter)