Yin Chao looked at the glaring professor and tilted his head in confusion.
Just as they did not understand why No. 001 had no emotions, Yin Chao did not understand why humans had them.
Suddenly, a pair of large, warm hands stroked the swirl of hair at his crown.
Yin Chao looked up just as No. 002 lowered his eyes.
As their gazes met, it felt as though a dull, rusted knife had drawn a cut across Yin Chao's heart, neither deep nor shallow.
He could not describe the feeling, but the waterlike tenderness in No. 002's eyes left him dazed.
"It's all right. I know. I've always known..."
No. 002 said.
Yin Chao blinked, feeling inexplicably pleased.
He turned his gaze back to the professor, his voice noticeably rising as he addressed him.
"Look! He doesn't care! He said so himself!"
If someone had taught him a few suitable idioms, Yin Chao would surely have thought of a fox borrowing a tiger's might.
The professor's face darkened, and he gestured to the team behind him.
They aimed their tranquilizer guns at the pair, but even with the weapons poised to fire, neither showed the slightest fear.
Suddenly, someone on the team fired first.
The shot was aimed at Yin Chao.
He did not move, watching No. 002 dart in front of him so quickly that only an afterimage remained.
Then No. 002 caught the tranquilizer dart with its sharp needle in his bare hand.
The team leader cursed the member who had acted without orders, then gave the command. Everyone pulled the triggers of their tranquilizer guns.
A dense shower of tiny needles flew toward them. Small as they looked, each carried a potent dose of tranquilizer.
Yin Chao knew that if the professor caught him this time, he