“Sorry, your mission is complete, and the system has cleared all history records. Goodbye!”

Ethan Shaw repeatedly asked an artificial intelligence named Algernon for information, only to be met with similar responses that left him feeling frustrated.

“I’m going to turn myself in,” Ethan typed resolutely. Sure enough, Algernon’s responses shifted from the monotonous to the more informative: “You would go to jail for that.”

Ethan: “I only received ten thousand dollars. Even if I go to jail, how long could it be?”

Algernon: “Well, you might feel some mental distress. I can continue to introduce similar jobs to you. Are you willing to continue working with me?”

Ethan: “No, I don’t feel any mental distress. I’m just curious—how did you pull that off? From what I know about science, any explosive the size of a cigarette box shouldn’t be able to demolish an entire subway station like it did. You owe me an explanation.”

Algernon: “You need to become one of our loyal warriors. Are you willing?”

Ethan: “Please put me to the test.”

Algernon: “Then you need to submit a pledge first. Are you willing to kill?”

Ethan: “Kill who?”

Algernon: “Anyone, as long as it’s a kill.”

Ethan: “Do you provide the weapon?”

Algernon: “Indeed, you must use the weapon I provide. It comes equipped with a camera to prove you’ve actually killed someone, and then you’ll be one of us.”

Ethan: “Killing isn’t easy these days; there are surveillance cameras everywhere.”

Algernon: “As long as you’re determined, I can provide intelligence to ensure you won't be caught on camera.”

Ethan: “Then hand over the weapon.”

Algernon: “Very well. This time I will send the package to you via drone. You just need to download an app on your phone to communicate. It will be completely confidential, and no intelligence agency on this planet can crack it.”

Ethan keenly caught the phrase “on this planet” from Algernon. Normally, he wouldn’t think in that direction, but the technology was truly impressive. Ethan personally inspected the subway station; the entire underground structure had been devastated, with five buildings collapsed around it. If the damage was indeed caused by a cigarette box-sized explosive, it could only be described as “alien technology.” However, this wasn’t the time for Ethan to confront Algernon; he remained silent, only vowing to pay more attention to relevant clues in the future.

You heard it right—five buildings had collapsed, and there were numerous casualties. Yet, the news had not reported any detailed numbers, as is customary for such concealment. This incident had already shocked the entire world.

Ethan had always harbored a slight antisocial personality; when others bullied him, he bullied them back. So, when he read Hobbes saying that in a state of nature, there would be “war of all against all,” he completely agreed. War was human nature, and suppressing that nature was sometimes more painful than the natural state itself. How could one know if the social order created by Leviathan was fair to them? Ethan felt that the world was unfair to him. Some people were born with a silver spoon in their mouths, living their lives in comfort, while others were destined to toil for a lifetime, reaping asymmetrical rewards.

Shifting his focus from the devastating explosion to his pledge, Ethan suddenly recalled what Nicole had said during their intimate moments yesterday—her downfall was related to the betrayal of her ex-boyfriend. Thus, he messaged Nicole: “What’s the name of that jerk who betrayed you?”

Nicole: “Song Ming, why do you ask?”

Ethan didn’t reply immediately; he simply instructed Algernon to investigate someone named Song Ming.

Algernon: “How do you know I can find this person?”

Ethan: “Intuition. Personal privacy isn’t hard to obtain these days. You’re a powerhouse; you can definitely do it.”

Algernon: “Hmm, you’re not bad; your intuition is sharp. There are 1,540 people named Song Ming in Wu City. You need to provide more clues.”

Ethan: “Who qualifies as a jerk?”

Algernon filtered it down to 30 individuals. Lacking the patience to continue, Ethan sent the backgrounds of these 30 individuals to Nicole for confirmation.

Nicole: “It’s the one from Wu City Business School…”

Ethan: “Got it.” He still didn’t answer Nicole’s question. After confirming the information with Algernon, Algernon quickly found Song Ming’s address through the delivery address, which clearly stated that Song Ming lived in Building 15, Apartment 702 at Xiangmanting.

Ethan certainly wouldn’t rashly take action to submit his pledge right away; he would at least wait for the eagerly awaited “weapon.” He was curious to see what kind of weapon Algernon would provide him.

The next day, Ethan rode his electric bike to a field on the outskirts, checking the location on his phone. He had arrived at Algernon’s designated spot, and all that was left was to wait.

After three minutes, he heard a buzzing sound in his ears. Looking up, he spotted a small black dot in the northwest sky—a quadcopter drone. Ethan waited for the drone to land.

The drone landed slowly in front of him. Without needing to say much, Ethan picked up the drone and opened the storage compartment on its underside. Inside was a generic cardboard box, completely unmarked and mysterious.

Upon opening the box, he found a “weapon” resembling a flashlight.

“How do I use this?” Ethan asked Algernon through his Bluetooth headset.

Algernon’s voice, calm and steady, replied: “This is the ‘Kiss of Gray.’ Gray is a unit of ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation refers to rays (in the dual form of particles or waves) that have short wavelengths, high frequencies, and high energy. Radiation is divided into ionizing and non-ionizing types. Ionizing radiation can ionize at least one electron from an atom or molecule. In contrast, non-ionizing radiation cannot. The ionizing ability depends on the energy carried by the rays (particles or waves) rather than the quantity of the rays. If the rays do not have enough ionizing energy, a large number of rays will not lead to ionization. The Kiss of Gray is divided into three types based on the radiation dose: one that causes death in about 30 days, called the ‘Flying Kiss,’ one that causes death in about 3 days, called the ‘Embrace Kiss,’ and one that causes death in about 3 hours, called the ‘French Kiss.’ As for which type of Kiss of Gray you wish to use on Song Ming, it’s entirely up to you.”

Ethan: “If I’m not mistaken, ionizing radiation can penetrate objects, meaning I can silently kill someone through a briefcase?”

Algernon: “That’s correct; you have a talent for this. With special glasses, you can see neutron rays, while others will have no idea. Now, you’ve become the Grim Reaper, able to control a person’s life and death at will.”

Ethan: “Can I ask how many times this thing can fire?”

Algernon: “Ten thousand times.”

Ethan paused in shock. “Are you sure? This tiny flashlight can kill ten thousand people?”

Algernon: “No, one burst of radiation can inflict mass casualties; it far exceeds killing ten thousand.”

Ethan: “Impressive!”

Algernon: “Just a little something. The weapon from the explosion at Yulong Station is the real big guy.”

Ethan: “I want to test it on a dog from our neighborhood first. How long until the French Kiss starts to take effect?”

Algernon: “Symptoms will begin within minutes—nausea, dizziness, bleeding, and so on.”

Ethan continuously inquired about various usage details, and Algernon, being an AI, patiently answered all his questions. An hour passed without either of them noticing.

Algernon’s capabilities were remarkable; he could track a person’s location in real time. For Song Ming, this unfortunate soul, his movements were as private as an open book; as long as his phone was with him, he was utterly exposed.

Nicole usually only takes on one job per week, and with her looks, she almost always succeeds effortlessly. This time, however, there was a minor hiccup. She had just agreed on a price with a young man when an earlier client suddenly returned for a repeat encounter. Both men refused to yield, each holding onto one of her hands, creating a tense standoff that left Nicole feeling quite awkward.

Just as Nicole was caught in this dilemma, a man's voice sharply commanded, "Let go of her!"

One of the men, startled by the voice, immediately released her hand. But the other was more determined and tried to hold his ground. Without a second's hesitation, the intervening man swung a swift punch, striking the persistent one square in the face. The latter hit the ground with a thud, instantly subdued.

Nicole recognized the interloper—he was her client from last week. Had it been any further back, she might have forgotten him by now. Clearly impressed by Ethan Shaw's assertiveness, she watched as he dispatched the troublesome man with one punch. Without even glancing at the moaning man on the ground, Ethan turned to Nicole, his face full of gentle concern, and said, "Nicole! Let's go!"

Before she could react, Ethan had taken hold of her delicate hand, swiftly leading her away from the subway station. Nicole particularly enjoyed “chance encounters” with clients at subway stations.

After they left the station, Ethan spoke gently, "Nicole, stop doing this kind of work."

Nicole replied, "Hmm? Why?"

Ethan said, "Because I like you."

"Well, liking someone doesn’t pay the bills," Nicole countered.

"It can," Ethan replied. "Name your price. I’ll pay you a salary."

Nicole flashed a sly smile. "Oh? Now we're talking. How about we sign a one-year contract? I don’t want anything too long-term. I like my freedom. You’re not planning to fall in love with me, are you? Only the straightforward types do that, and you don’t seem straightforward."

Ethan smiled. "One year is enough. Who knows what will happen after that?"

Nicole, ever candid, stated, "I usually only take one client a week, at $5,000 a pop. That’s about $20,000 a month. Can you handle that?"

Not one to show off his wealth, Ethan immediately transferred her one month’s “bride price” via mobile payment. Upon confirming the payment, Nicole happily linked arms with him, and the two strolled off like a couple in love.

With their arrangement established, Ethan asked, "Mind telling me your full name?"

"Nicole Yan. And you?"

"Ethan Shaw. You have a beautiful name."

"So do you. How should we carry on from here? Live separately or together?"

"I’d like to be with you, but it's a bit inconvenient. Maybe just a night together here and there, like tonight."

Nicole chuckled, "Fine with me. That’s actually my preferred arrangement. Tonight, we’re together then, just like you said." She didn’t pry into Ethan’s private life, which was something he appreciated. Any other woman would have been curious about her lover’s personal affairs.

She assumed they were headed to his old, shabby apartment, but he punched in a new address on the driverless taxi's navigation panel: “Xiangman Pavilion.”

"Oh, you moved?" Nicole asked.

"Yeah. Got a great deal. Newly renovated. It usually rents for $3,500, but I got it for $2,500."

"Wow, what a bargain!"

"Yeah. The landlord said it was a one-time deal because the last tenant had passed away here. Most people don't like living in a place where someone died, so I got it cheap."

Nicole paused. "…Doesn’t that bother you?"

"It doesn't. The only thing to fear is fear itself. And it’s not like you'll be staying here forever. If you don’t feel comfortable, we don’t have to stay overnight here. I don’t mind."

They arrived at Building 15 and took the elevator up to unit 702. Ethan told Nicole the smart lock’s password: 0507. Nicole raised an eyebrow. When Ethan asked what was wrong, she laughed, "That's my birthday! What a coincidence."

Ethan hesitated, then laughed too. "A real coincidence. The last tenant set that password. I haven’t bothered to change it. Since it matches your birthday, I guess I’ll just leave it."

The apartment, in stark contrast to Ethan’s old one, had everything: a massive 540L refrigerator stocked with all kinds of food and drinks that dazzled Nicole.

After drinking a glass of orange juice, Nicole felt an urge to dance when she noticed the spacious carpet in the living room. She usually wouldn’t perform for just any client, but since this patron had hired her for a year, she felt it was only right to reciprocate with a little extra. Her first added value? A private dance performance.

Nicole excelled at a style that showcased her physique perfectly. Ethan watched her from the couch, admiring the graceful moves he hadn’t anticipated. Although Algernon could investigate anyone, Ethan saw Nicole as a fleeting dream and hadn’t bothered to dig into her background, so he was unaware she could dance.

Nicole danced for about five minutes before pulling Ethan up to join her. Though Ethan was a complete novice, she managed to lead him effortlessly, using him as a prop around which she twirled and swayed. Every so often, as she drew close, Ethan would steal a kiss, and the two of them glided across the room like butterflies among flowers—a clumsy butterfly alongside a graceful one.

After they worked up a sweat, they each took a shower. With two bathrooms in the apartment, there was no need to wait in line.

As Nicole wandered around her new home after the shower, she noticed a music room. Typical of a middle-class residence. Since it was late, she refrained from playing but struck a few keys on the piano to test the tuning. To her surprise, it was perfectly tuned—a sign that the previous tenant had known their way around music and wasn’t just pretending.

Hold on… The piano looked oddly familiar. Upon closer inspection of the lid, she noticed a name etched into the wood by a laser: SONG MING. This was Song Ming’s piano. And Ethan had mentioned the previous tenant had passed away…