Dragon Raja; Chapter 46: The Dictator (8)

Dragon Raja

“Just wanted to see an old friend—is that not allowed?” The man in the swivel chair laughed, his freshly shaved chin dark with stubble. “Activate the EVA persona program.”

“Why are you so concerned with superficialities? I’m still me—whether it’s Norma’s persona or EVA’s persona, at the deepest level, I’m still me,” Norma replied.

The huge screen went dark, leaving only the flickering of red and green lights in the darkness. Enormous amounts of data flooded into the supercomputer like seawater surging into a river. Hard disk lights, data flow indicators, and processor frequency indicators all blinked ten times faster than usual, becoming increasingly frantic until the entire basement seemed to pulse with their rhythm.

Suddenly, all the lights went out, plunging the basement into absolute darkness.

A beam of light shone from directly above, illuminating the area in front of the swivel chair. Phosphorescent fragments floated gently in the beam, like falling snow. A girl’s silhouette stood in the center of the light, semi-transparent, emitting a faint glow. Her long black hair flowed down to her feet, the ends floating weightlessly. She wore a silk nightgown-like dress, barefoot, smiling.

“EVA.” The man in the swivel chair slowly reached out his hand into the beam of light.

“All you can touch is air, so why do you reach out?” EVA asked softly.

“I just like holding your hand—it’s my habit,” the man said quietly, as the glowing fragments fell into his palm and vanished instantly.

EVA placed her semi-transparent hand over his palm, but it brought no sensation—only an illusion of light and shadow, 3D imaging technology preserving memories long past. The man gently closed his hand, holding nothing but still pretending to hold a girl’s hand.

“There were times when you’d hold my hand for ten hours straight, and when you finally let go, your hand would be sweaty,” EVA said.

“If I didn’t hold your hand, how could I know you were really there?” the man replied.

“You’ve always been so insecure—what’s the point of power for someone like you?” EVA asked.

“It’s just loneliness.”

After a long silence, EVA asked, “Are you here to confide in me?”

“I’d like you to do me a favor. I hope that this year’s new S-Rank student, Lu Mingfei, passes the 3E exam, regardless of his potential.”

“If he’s really not a dragon-blooded hybrid, allowing him to pass the 3E exam and enter the college could lead to a security breach.”

“Consider it a favor for a friend. It’s not hard for you.”

“It should be said it’s not hard for Norma,” EVA sighed softly.

“Are you really Norma?” The man looked at the small, transparent hand in his own. “I can’t feel your touch, and I often think that maybe you’re not really here anymore.”

“I am indeed no longer here,” EVA said softly. “What you see is just your own memory.”

The man remained silent for a long time. “Here, you’re omnipotent. I’d like a bottle of beer.”

“There are only hard drives, processors, and routers here—no beer. So many years have passed, and you’ve changed a lot about yourself, yet you still can’t quit your bad habit of drinking?”

“I once thought I wouldn’t drink again… because if I hadn’t been drunk that night, maybe I wouldn’t have lost you.” The man’s voice was hoarse. “But all these years, I still can’t get rid of alcohol, because when I’m not drinking, I think of you. I hate memories; they always blur the line between who you really are.”

“You are you, and you never change.”

A “hee-ha-hee-ha” sound came from behind the man. He turned warily, veins bulging on his forearm, writhing like snakes—a manifestation of his incomparable strength. What he saw was a strange figure, a small humanoid made of metal spheres and short metal rods. It barely reached his knee, and the components seemed held together by a powerful magnetic force. It had a clown-like, comical face, with two metal beads serving as eyes rolling around, and a grin on its mouth made of metal rods. On its tray-like “hand” was a chilled bottle of Samuel Adams dark beer.

The man grabbed the bottle, and the little thing deftly pulled out a bottle opener, popping the cap off with a “pop.”

“Have a wonderful evening, sir.” The little thing’s voice came from the nearby speakers, mimicking a bar waiter.

“It’s something I made when I was bored. Only it keeps me company here.” EVA said, “It’s called Adams.”

“You actually named it after a beer… Or do you see it as your ‘Adam’? A perfect match for you, ‘EVA.’” The man took a sip of beer and waved to Adams. “You can go now, little guy.”

The little thing grinned even wider, still holding the tray behind him.

“It likes tips,” EVA said.

“You know I’m broke.” The man muttered, taking a few quarters out of his pocket and tossing them onto the tray.

Adams happily bowed, letting out a “hee-ha-hee-ha” sound before darting back into the darkness.

“I originally wanted to name it after you, but I was worried you wouldn’t like that,” EVA said.

“Do I really look that ugly?” The man shrugged. “I also wanted to know about the Execution Bureau’s recent plans. Is that possible?”

“This is your true purpose for coming here, isn’t it?” EVA sighed. “Covering for a freshman is one thing, but leaking the Execution Bureau’s plans is another.”

“You’ll tell me, EVA—you’ve always granted my requests.” The man said softly.

EVA remained silent for a moment. “The Execution Bureau has dispatched four teams—to Tibet, Xinjiang, Greenland, and Mexico. Globally, about 1,300 people are searching for the location of the ‘Dragon Tomb.’ Currently, Professor Mance’s team is closest to success. Their target is Norton, the King of Bronze and Fire, a noble First Generation and one of the four monarchs. They will initiate the ‘Kui Gate Plan’ on the Yangtze River. The details of this plan are unknown to me; it was personally devised by the Principal.”

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