Saien directed the mechanical arm to connect various pipes of different thicknesses to the interfaces of the "Phantom" body. The indicator lights began to flash rhythmically.
Jiang Lijin watched the scene, then turned to Xiao Yi. 【Do we need to move this hunk of iron upstairs to the main brain for the transfer?】
【No need, no need!】 Xiao Yi’s electronic voice carried a tone of pride. 【Host, the main brain just gave me a ton of super-high-level permissions! I’m now a system with the highest level of network clearance! I can disregard location and establish a quantum-level connection with the main brain directly. Whenever you’re ready, we can start anytime!】
Jiang Lijin replied in her mind: 【Alright, look at you showing off.】
“The physical carrier is ready.” Saien called up a virtual keyboard, typed a long string of commands, then looked up. “Your Highness, we can begin.”
“Connect it,” Jiang Lijin said.
Chiron stepped forward to stand beside Jiang Lijin, his grey eyes full of concern. “If you feel uncomfortable, tell me anytime.”
Jiang Lijin didn’t take it seriously. “It’s just a small system. No big deal.”
Inside her mind, Xiao Yi’s voice rarely turned serious.
【Host.】 It called out to her.
【What? Changed your mind?】
【No.】 Xiao Yi’s voice was a bit low. 【I just wanted to say, even though I can’t stay in your head anymore and the shop won’t work, now that I have a body, I’ll protect you. I’ll be even stronger than that particle cannon.】
Jiang Lijin didn’t respond.
【I’ll learn to cook, learn to take care of Rowan. If you find him annoying, I’ll just throw him out.】 Xiao Yi continued rambling.
Jiang Lijin replied in her mind: 【Alright, save your energy for the move. Don’t end up dying halfway through.】
【I won’t die!】 Xiao Yi snorted. 【I still have to glare at people with my laser eyes!】
“Begin now,” Jiang Lijin said to the air.
【Roger. Initiating separation procedure.】 A mechanical voice dropped.
A sharp pain struck deep in Jiang Lijin’s brain, like an extremely fine needle piercing her nerve endings and then pulling outward with force.
She let out a muffled groan and swayed.
Chiron grabbed her shoulder in one smooth motion, half-holding her in his arms.
“Lijin,” Chiron’s voice was tense, his arm muscles tight, his breath uneven for a moment.
“I’m fine.” Jiang Lijin steadied herself with his support, her face pale but her eyes clear.
The pain grew stronger. The system space that had been with her for years was collapsing bit by bit inside her mind. The familiar shop interface, item bars, and points balance were all dissolving into glowing particles.
Xiao Yi remained silent, fully cooperating with the main brain’s separation.
On the experiment table, the silver-white “Phantom” body began shaking violently.
The pipes connected to it erupted with blinding blue light. Vast data streams surged into the quantum chip through the main brain’s channels.
Saien stared at the screen’s data, cold sweat on his forehead. “Compute peak has exceeded the critical point! This data volume is terrifying. The chip temperature is skyrocketing!”
Saien immediately pressed several red buttons. A large amount of liquid nitrogen sprayed onto the body, forming white cold mist that enveloped the entire table.
The separation process lasted five minutes.
When the last trace of pain faded from her mind, Jiang Lijin felt a sense of emptiness.
That ever-chattering voice was gone.
The system space was completely shut down.
The final connection to that dimension had been physically severed.
The laboratory fell silent, with only the hum of the cooling system.
The white cold mist dissipated.
On the experiment table, the silver-white body lay still.
Jiang Lijin pushed aside Chiron’s hand and walked up to the table.
She looked at the smooth holographic screen, then tapped twice on the metal shell.
“Are you dead or not?”
The body didn’t respond.
Saien nervously leaned in. “That shouldn’t be. The data stream has been fully injected, chip function is normal. Why no reaction?”
Chiron stood behind Jiang Lijin, watching the body, ready to handle any emergency.
Saien reached out to check the interfaces.
“Beeep—”
The holographic screen on the body’s face lit up.
Then, a massive, smug kaomoji smiley face appeared on the screen: (✧∇✧)
With a scraping sound from the mechanical joints, the body sat up stiffly but swiftly.
It turned its head, the smiley-face screen aimed at Jiang Lijin.
A familiar, spirited voice with a metallic edge came through the body’s speakers.
“Hahaha! Host! I’m alive! I’ve got a body!”
Xiao Yi sat on the table, waving its two arms excitedly, looking left and right, then swapping the screen to a cocky expression: (⌐■_■)
“Hurry! Get me a mirror! Let me see my charming figure!”
Jiang Lijin watched it acting like this, and the bit of loss she felt from the separation completely vanished.
“No mirror,” Jiang Lijin said, pointing at its arms. “You still need the Dean to install your particle cannon and laser eyes.”
Xiao Yi turned to look at Saien, its screen switching to starry eyes: (✪ω✪)
“Old Man, hurry! Load me up! I want the deadliest firepower!”
Saien, stunned by this incredibly human-like AI, rubbed his hands eagerly. “Good! Good! Right away! I’ll go access the highest authority of the weapon arsenal!”
Xiao Yi nodded in satisfaction, then turned its gaze to Chiron.
The screen’s expression changed to a disdainful glare: (눈_눈)
“What are you looking at, Jealous King? From now on, the Host’s daily care is my job. Don’t you make excuses to come sniffing around.” Xiao Yi, now with a physical form, taunted arrogantly.
Chiron’s expression didn’t change.
He looked at the newly awakened body, his tone gentle but devastatingly sharp.
“Since you’re handling daily care, then from now on, the villa’s cleaning and lawn trimming are all on you. After all, you don’t need rest.”
Xiao Yi froze. The screen’s expression stuck in a panicked, garbled state: (°Д°)
“You’re taking revenge for personal reasons! Host, he’s abusing the work!
Jiang Lijin turned and walked out, ignoring the two bickering.
“Nice,” she said, waving a hand behind her back. “Just right to take over the little white’s spot and do some chores.”
Xiao Yi let out a wail from the table.
Chiron smiled, then stepped forward to follow Jiang Lijin.
