Lobotomy Corporation but with Simulation System?

The Safety Department Dean and the Training Department Dean seemed to be in the middle of a conversation, and X's arrival had interrupted them. Normally, X might have felt embarrassed and waited for them to finish. But today, she didn't have the energy.

She slumped onto the sofa, leaning back slightly, her entire body sinking in, as if her bones were melting. The white fluff on her head pecked at X without any effect. X remained slumped on the sofa, motionless.

She wasn't paying much attention to what the Deans were saying. It was lunchtime, and it was best not to discuss work.

X had a rare moment of relaxation, resting her head on the sofa, frowning slightly. After resting for a while, she planned to open her warm lunch bag. The white fluff on her head was already impatient. It flapped its wings and flew onto the table.

Its black beady eyes blinked at X.

It wasn't good to eat alone. X wanted to share with the Deans.

"Oh, do you want to have lunch together, Hod?

Netzach?"

She asked perfunctorily. Although she knew that the Corporation's AI didn't need to eat, it wouldn't hurt to have a little taste, right?

Usually, Netzach would be happy to be with her. Spending more time with Netzach could effectively increase her work enthusiasm. Encouraging words at lunchtime might make the Safety Department Dean more enthusiastic.

But today seemed different?

"No, Manager. I have some things to handle… Anyway, don't bother with those people, Hod. Remember they're always negative."

Netzach was sulking, lacking enthusiasm. She didn't seem interested in playing with X at lunchtime. It could be because of her conversation with the Training Department Dean, or simply because she had too much work to do and was eager to get it done.

After all, X had said yesterday that she shouldn't just be satisfied with completing her work, but should think about how to do it better. The Safety Department Dean had decided to put more effort into her work, taking her work seriously.

The Safety Department Dean left, leaving only the Training Department Dean. Dean Hod seemed to have misunderstood something and quickly explained to X.

"That… Manager, I promise Netzach… uh… this time, it was really just a psychological consultation…"

X didn't understand very well. She only caught the keyword "Psychological Consultation." For some reason, as soon as X heard "Psychological Consultation," she felt it wasn't something good.

"Hm? What kind of psychological consultation? Did Netzach start a new design? You mean that psychological consultation from last time?"

As X spoke, she casually placed a fry next to [O-02-56]. The fluffy little bird held the fry, which seemed a little too big for it. It bobbed its little head, seemingly very happy.

The fry disappeared into its mouth in a flash. After finishing the fry, it rubbed against X, using its fluffy feathers to rub against X's palm, making X feel slightly itchy.

The fry was right there, but [O-02-56] didn't take it, as if it wanted X to feed it bite by bite.

The Training Department Dean watched X naturally feeding [O-02-56], falling silent. She didn't know whether it was because she had realized she had suddenly "exploded" like an idiot, or because she didn't know what to say given X's calm demeanor.

The Manager didn't seem to hear the content of the conversation. If she hadn't suddenly spoken, X wouldn't have noticed what Netzach was doing.

Dean Hod looked embarrassed and hesitated before speaking.

"Uh… it's Netzach… She borrowed some Enkephalin from me. She said she needed to use it for a proper psychological consultation, so… I… I gave it to her."

Hearing the keyword "Enkephalin," X, who had been drinking Coca-Cola, almost choked.

The feeling of low blood pressure suddenly rose again, and her stable emotions were no longer stable.

"Wait, Hod, what did you say? Netzach took Enkephalin? Are you sure?"

X's expression turned cold. Her golden eyes fixed on the Dean, her gaze frightening. Some things could be let go, but some couldn't.

"Netzach… she… she said it was for a proper psychological consultation."

Hod's gaze wavered slightly. The Training Department Dean didn't dare to look directly into X's eyes.

X wanted to get angry, but she held back.

—She couldn't suspect Netzach just because of her past record. Was she really using it for legitimate purposes?

—She couldn't scold Hod just because she was easily swayed. She was just too kind and willing to believe others, even if it was a lie.

She had to remain calm…

—You need to trust your Deans, trust your subordinates.

—Netzach promised she wouldn't relapse.

X's gaze softened. Her tone was very gentle, as if she were trying to relieve Dean Hod's pressure. X smiled at her and patted the empty space on the sofa next to her.

"Well, I understand. I trust that Hod isn't lying, and that Netzach is conducting psychological consultations for the employees. Her recent work has been excellent. I appreciate her. Oh, want to eat together? Try this popcorn chicken."

X opened a packet of sweet chili sauce. The reddish-orange sauce looked delicious. The golden-brown, crispy popcorn chicken, with a bit of sweet chili sauce, tasted great, balancing out the richness of the chicken itself.

She offered a piece of chicken to the Training Department Dean. The fluffy little bunny hesitated before taking it and eating it in small bites.

The Corporation's top executives were all AI. Even though they had taste buds and could eat, they usually didn't eat like the employees… This was probably a special case because they were in front of the Manager.

It wasn't that they couldn't eat, they just didn't think it was necessary.

Eating was a major characteristic of living things. If they maintained the habit of eating three meals a day, they would live too much like humans. This was terrifying… Although the Corporation didn't forbid them from eating, the Deans usually avoided it because they didn't want to be too human.

This was a tacit understanding—

Being too human meant experiencing a lot of pain.

Machines longed to be human, and humans longed to be machines.

Flesh and blood were meant to endure suffering, while steel bodies were meant to withstand various hardships.

Some Deans even wished they didn't have an emotional system, that they could be as insensitive as a cold machine… They would admire Angela's coldness and heartlessness, admire that she was a true machine.

Admiring a machine, truly cold and heartless…

But emotions were a burden. But… if that was the case, why not replace all the employees with machines? This hardship, this suffering… was probably a kind of food, a kind of nutrient.

Sowing seeds on barren land, burying seeds in cracked soil… Nutrients are needed for germination.

"Delicious."

Taking another bite of popcorn chicken, biting into the golden-brown, crispy skin, the juicy meat inside releasing its juices… Juices everywhere. Dean Hod had a happy expression.

Savoring food is a great pleasure. Human desires and joys essentially come from those few things.

Eating something is just to fill your stomach, for survival. But pursuing flavors, carefully experiencing the richness of taste, is a way of enjoying life, of pleasing oneself.

X took a piece of chicken and placed it next to [O-02-56]. The chicken was about the same size as the little bird. She didn't know if the grease would affect its white feathers. She put a piece of greasy chicken on top.

Even though it was probably a bird, [O-02-56] didn't mind eating the chicken. It used its "little beak" to peck at the chicken, its small claws moving, pushing the chicken, as if it were afraid that someone would steal it.

Its speed at pecking and eating was like a pile driver… It was unbelievable how such a small creature, such a small belly, could hold so much.

But considering that [O-02-56]'s true "filth" was in its belly, that red pattern…

Abnormalities couldn't be viewed from a normal perspective. The fact that [O-02-56] was behaving so docilely, like an ordinary bird, was already remarkable.

After finishing the chicken, the little bird hopped around, its black beady eyes fixed on X. X didn't understand bird language. She couldn't use mind-reading techniques. She could only guess [O-02-56]'s intentions from its gaze.

But she vaguely remembered mentioning something earlier… a promise.

Was it strawberry pudding…?

X rummaged through her lunch bag and found the dessert the AI Secretary had prepared for her, a strawberry pudding.

It was a shame. X really liked sweets. Dessert after a meal was the most important thing. This might be her last lunch. After the lunch break, she would probably be severely punished by her Secretary.

But [O-02-56] was still staring at her, bobbing its little head, seemingly expecting something.

The little creature was very cute, and seemed gentle, but X didn't dare to poke its belly. This could be much more dangerous than a pufferfish.

Pufferfish had an incredibly powerful bite. They could instantly bite off a person's finger. And this little white thing… it wasn't just a matter of biting off a finger.

Cute things could always surprise you.

X tore open the strawberry pudding's packaging, gently tapping the smooth pudding. It slid from the cup onto the white porcelain plate. Because the pudding was so smooth and jiggly, it trembled several times as it landed on the plate.

The crimson, translucent pudding looked very tempting, but X could only swallow her saliva and not eat it.

Using the small plastic spoon, she scooped up the jiggly pudding, feeding it bit by bit to the proud little bird. [O-02-56] pecked at the pudding it loved, and X could only swallow her frustration.

She was the one feeding her beloved pudding to [O-02-56]…

The tiny little bird was not at all polite. It ate the pudding ruthlessly and quickly. After finishing the pudding, it flapped its wings, grabbed a fry, and flew away.

X watched it leave and sighed.

It was fortunate that it hadn't taken her entire lunch bag. If [O-02-56] ate everything, what would she eat for lunch? Eat high-grade salmon?

… Even her last lunch was gone.

She was supposed to be managing the Secretary's emotions and the Deans' relationships. Now, she had another task— caring for a pet.

"Ah, my pudding."

X ate her hamburger, sulking slightly. The Training Department Dean didn't know how to comfort the dejected Manager, and could only offer an awkward smile.

[O-02-56] was a containment subject of the Training Department. And [O-02-56] had escaped during the lunch break and had landed on the Manager. No matter how you looked at it, the Training Department Dean had to bear a large portion of the responsibility.

Fortunately, [O-02-56] hadn't caused any financial damage to the Corporation. The Manager had only lost some of her lunch. A sacrifice of "Virtue."

Although X considered this a significant loss, she was still upset that she hadn't eaten her jiggly pudding.

Just thinking about the possibility that this might be her last meal, X felt… the loss was immense.

Her sadness even infected the Training Department Dean. Dean Hod thought something was wrong with X and anxiously asked.

"Manager, are you feeling unwell? Did [O-02-56] injure you? Do you need a psychological or physical examination? I'm sorry, I was negligent… for letting it escape."

The fluffy little bunny was very worried.

"No, I'm fine… I'm just not full. Do you have any more employee lunches, Hod? I want another one."

X rubbed her stomach, still appearing calm. She slumped onto the sofa, like a large Siberian forest cat licking its paws, lazily revealing its belly.

Unsurprisingly, this unreserved pose made Dean Hod blush.

X had no self-awareness of her own charm, nor did she have any extra thoughts about her actions.

This unconscious display was perhaps more alluring than deliberate seduction.

It was like a fruit tree in the Garden of Eden, bearing beautiful apples. Even if the fruit remained motionless, without a snake whispering in its ear, its bright color would still attract people's attention, tempting desires, enticing people to pick it.

"Okay— Okay! Manager, please wait!"

The Training Department Dean couldn't refuse X's request. Although, according to the Corporation's hierarchy, the Dean should obey the Manager's orders, X never forced the Deans to do anything.

She always used a consultative and gentle tone, never giving coercive orders.