Kuaiji Type Zero lay on the platform and slowly opened his eyes.
As an artificial human more inclined toward machinery, he had been born knowing. He calmly looked at King Zheng of Qin and Ji Chao standing beside him.
"Master, Controllers." After a brief moment of thought, he spoke.
"Mm. My machine, the mechanism I created—what do you feel now?" King Zheng of Qin looked down at Kuaiji Type Zero, his eyes holding both appreciation and scrutiny.
Kuaiji Type Zero lowered his head and assessed his condition.
"Body functioning normally. Programs operating normally. No other issues detected." Kuaiji Type Zero's voice was utterly emotionless, precise and mechanical.
"Can you think for yourself?" Ji Chao bent down, looking into Kuaiji Type Zero's eyes with concern.
Kuaiji Type Zero met Ji Chao's gaze calmly. "Neural units connected normally. Thinking capacity retained. Confirmation complete."
Ji Chao nodded. After hesitating for a moment, he gently patted Kuaiji Type Zero's head.
"Hmm?" King Zheng of Qin looked at Ji Chao's action in confusion.
With a sigh, Ji Chao gave a helpless smile.
"Though I expected it, I didn't think reason would still overwhelm emotion."
"And so completely, too. He's practically a Self-Regulating Mechanism."
"It matters not. Even an artificial human cannot escape the word 'human.'" King Zheng of Qin smiled indifferently. "Since he is human, he will eventually be changed by the world. Kuaiji Type Zero as he is now has merely laid the groundwork for the future. As for what that future will truly be, won't it be for us in the future to decide?"
Kuaiji Type Zero sat quietly on the platform, his gaze focused neither on Ji Chao nor King Zheng of Qin. He merely stared straight ahead, calm and devoid of emotion.
"Mm." Ji Chao nodded. "In any case, let us