Modern World Warlock

Chapter 266: The Hell-Cyborg and the Android

As everyone in the Jade Palace kept training and improving their fighting skills, Dante took a small break when he saw Alexander Spring walking with his android and making their way to the lab.

The laboratory was right beside the MET room, where they were training, and the warlock decided to follow Alex out of curiosity, seeing that his umbra looked conflicted.

When he arrived at the lab, he saw Paige, Dr. Sylva, and Sami gathered there, waiting for Alexander and Android 16.

The Spring handler was interested in studying the critical differences between Android 16 and Sami, so the man asked the Zeta Team, who specialized in research, to help him out.

At that moment, Dante entered the lab and said that he would lend a hand, as he had been the one who gave Sami her soul and he also wanted to learn more about the androids.

Alexander mentioned that Android 16 had an early version of the E.E.M.P installed in her system. However, she had never shown any kind of emotion—in fact, Sixteen wouldn't even speak unless Alex or Oskar directly asked her something.

"Hmmm, I thought their numbers were meant to be their versions…" Dante muttered.

"They are, but truth be told, there isn't much of a difference between versions 16 all the way to 42—at least in terms of their bodies and systems…" Alex replied.

Any android that had a version number under 16 didn't have the E.E.M.P system installed. Moreover, they also had more visible robotic parts, so it was easy to differentiate them from a regular person.

When glancing at Sixteen and Sami, Dante noted that there really wasn't much of a difference in their looks from an ordinary woman. However, being able to express herself made Sami feel like a real human, while Sixteen had an utterly blank face.

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Sami!" The cyborg said with enthusiasm to Sixteen.

However, the android didn't even look at her and maintained her standing position in silence.

"Sixteen, you can answer," Alexander said with a gentle tone.

"I'm Android Sixteen… Pleased to make your acquaintance…" The android coldly replied, and Dante didn't sense a pinch of energy coming from her, so he knew that her "pleasure" wasn't real.

"Hey, you know? We are very similar—You could at least try talking to me a little more…" Sami commented, seemingly disgruntled at the android. Still, Sixteen didn't reply and stood tall without glancing at the cyborg.

"To be fair, Sami, you were also silent when you were first created…" Alexander interjected.

"I was!?" Sami exclaimed, taken aback as she didn't remember being so heartless.

Alex nodded affirmatively. "Your speech began to develop a lot more as soon as you received the command from the cartel's leader…" he said.

Dante placed a hand on his chin, delving into his thoughts and theorizing that the conflicting orders must have had an effect on her E.E.M.P.

"What do you mean?" Paige interjected with a question.

When Sami was still an android, she had been given the command to "protect the people of Novaria," and the cartel ordered her to "protect the necrotic core."

However, the creation of the core required the death of many, and being able to hear the whispers of the people she was meant to save must have made her emotional system evolve.

The E.E.M.P had been designed so that it would slowly develop a personality for the android based on their experiences. In the end, the one who had shown the most improvement was Sami.

"The main reason I gave Sami to the cartel was because I was secretly hoping that her emotions could evolve… I didn't know the necrotic core could have that effect on her," Alexander commented with a slightly sad tone.

Paige inquired if the warlock could give Sixteen a demon's soul in the same way he had done with Sami, but Dante had to refuse, as it could be dangerous.

"I only gave Sami her soul because I could see her true emotions wanting to come out… Unfortunately, Sixteen doesn't produce a single pinch of energy…" Dante explained.

"If I gave her a demon's soul, and her emotions developed the wrong way, we could find ourselves fighting her instead," he continued.

While the scientists tried to come up with a solution to help Sixteen develop her emotions, Sami approached her and grabbed the android's hand.

"Allow me to do a scan," Sami said confidently, prompting Alexander to tell Sixteen to let it happen.

As Sami opened her palm and made a small connector appear in the center, she plugged it directly into Sixteen's palm, allowing her to scan every single line of code in the android's system.

"Hmm?" Sami muttered, sharpening her gaze with suspicion.

"What is it?" Dante asked.

"There seems to be a self-written line of code at the very end of the E.E.M.P system… It's blocking it from evolving," Sami commented.

Alexander was taken aback, not fully understanding how or why Sixteen had blocked her emotional system from evolving.

When Sami delved deeper, she noticed that there was a command etched onto the frame of her system. However, instead of it being "protect the people of Novaria," her order was to "protect Lexia Spring."

Right as Sami revealed the command, Alexander's eyes widened in perplexity, and Dante could sense sadness and confusion oozing from the man.

After Lexia died in an accident, it seemed that Sixteen's E.E.M.P began to evolve. However, the android felt so much despair after failing her main mission that she tampered with the system and blocked it from evolving so that she wouldn't feel such a thing.

"Sh-should I delete it?" Sami pondered aloud, unsure if it was the right thing to do.

Deleting the line of code that blocked Sixteen's emotions could be seen as a good thing. However, all she was going to feel was depression and despair, making the cyborg doubt her intentions.

"No…" Alexander said, biting his lips.

"If she felt broken enough to block her emotions, I don't want to be the person that brings back that pain… I'm sorry, Sixteen," the handler apologized to the android, who simply nodded in acknowledgment of his words.