I will be a boss in the future world

As night falls, the neon lights of Anos City shine on the streets like bright stars, colorful and dazzling.

The sky here seems to be always dyed with a deep black. On the exterior walls of high-rise buildings, huge LED screens play various advertisements and virtual and real images. Colorful lights are projected onto the streets, forming a flowing ocean of light and shadow.

The neon signs on both sides of the street flashed dazzling light, and various colors such as red, blue, green and purple were intertwined together, as if it was a visual feast. Pedestrians shuttled through this light and shadow, their figures were elongated and distorted, blending with the surrounding scene.

In the distance, on the tops of skyscrapers, laser beams cut through the night sky, reflecting the stars in the sky. These beams crisscrossed and rotated in the air, creating a magical world.

Here people can temporarily forget the troubles of reality and immerse themselves in this wonderful space composed of light and shadow.

Yuying dragged her tired body slowly towards the door of her home. As soon as she stepped over the threshold, the lights in the house lit up instantly, as if welcoming her return.

A warm feeling suddenly surged in my heart, and I felt extremely warm.

A warm breath mixed with a faint scent of lavender wafted towards her. It turned out that Xiaoqi already knew her preferences and adjusted the indoor temperature and humidity to the most suitable state in advance so that she could immediately immerse herself in this comfort as soon as she returned home.

The lighting in the house is soft and not dazzling, with just the right brightness. It does not make people feel dim and depressing, but can clearly illuminate every corner.

"I'm back--"

"Welcome home, Yuying."

Before he finished speaking, Xiao Qi's cheerful voice immediately rang out, full of joy and anticipation.

He is always so enthusiastic and brings endless joy to this family.

"I haven't come back in the past few days. Did I log into the system?"

There was concern in his voice.

"Well, the mission was finally completed successfully."

Yuying responded with a slight smile, a hint of fatigue on her face.

"Really? That's great. Thank you for your hard work, Yuying."

"I have prepared a cup of hot tea and Yuying's favorite music. The water temperature in the bathroom has also been adjusted to Yuying's preferred temperature. Yuying is ready to use."

Yuying nodded and walked towards the living room, where a cup of steaming green tea was already prepared and next to it was her smart player, which was playing soft music.

She sat down, sipped her tea, and felt the tranquility brought by the music.

"Yuying, where have you been?"

He said anxiously, "I tried to find you in the NPC system, but I couldn't find you."

"I went to a virtual game space that was broken."

Yuying thought for a moment and explained, "Maybe the time and space have been distorted to the point of being out of the system, so you didn't find it."

"..."

He looked depressed, as if he was very disappointed. "Next time Yuying logs into the system, send me a signal."

"This way I will know that Yuying has come to my world."

Yuying became interested: "What kind of signal?"

"The spell to summon me, encrypted code [496C6FFGHA987]."

"In case you can't remember it, I've already input it into your brain-computer system."

He said confidently: "Send it to the terminal next time you log into the system, and I will be able to find you immediately."

Yu Ying couldn't help laughing at his seriousness, and looked at him teasingly: "Pfft, you're even casting a summoning spell..."

"Xiao Qi, you are really silly and cute."

He looked at Yuying quietly, his eyes filled with endless tenderness and affection, so strong that it seemed to melt people into it.

"Every time you enter the system, I look forward to meeting you."

"I don't want to miss Yuying like this again."

His voice was low, with a hint of sadness.

Her heartbeat suddenly stopped, and Yuying raised her head and smiled awkwardly, "Come on, accompany me to cook, I'm hungry."

"it is good……"

After a delicious dinner, all the fatigue in my body was finally gone.

Just as I was about to take a shower and rest, my brain computer suddenly started ringing.

After seeing who was calling, Yuying had already guessed his purpose.

"You're so punctual. I was just getting ready for bed."

"Am I disturbing you?"

Sha Feiran's apologetic voice immediately came from the brain: "Sorry, I was very busy the past few days and only have time now."

"What are you doing, causing trouble?"

He smiled shyly and avoided Yuying's pretended probing joke without showing any expression.

"how have you been?"

Unable to find out what he said, Yu Ying curled her lips and said casually, "It's my first mission after joining the company. It went well, right?"

"..."

Ever since she knew the relationship between these two people, whenever she heard Sha Feiran's voice, she would involuntarily think of Ji Jingxian's "face" that she met in the fairy tale space. Yu Ying couldn't help but feel angry, and her tone unconsciously became heavier.

"Well, fortunately, I am now a regular employee of TOX."

"..."

Hearing the subtle anger and alienation in her tone, Sha Feiran said faintly: "Oh, it's unbearable, unbearable..."

"From now on, I will be a senior law enforcement officer wearing a police badge and uniform. That's awesome!"

Yuying gritted her teeth, clenched her fists and threatened: "Don't make fun of me, or I'll catch you later."

Sha Feiran chuckled: "Haha, will you catch me?"

"Who knows?"

"Your identity and background are suspicious, and you claim to be from a place I have never heard of."

Yuying said calmly, "What if you have other intentions, or you are just lying to me."

"Maybe I'll turn against them right away and help them catch you—"

After hearing this, the person on the other side seemed to finally start to get anxious.

"Hey, we agreed to be a team, don't betray us on the first day, okay?"

"You are my first sincere friend in Anos..."

"I would never lie to you, Yuying."

"..."

Yu Ying pursed her lips and was about to take the opportunity of his loyalty to ask him what was going on between Ji Jingxian and Organization D, but Sha Feiran spoke again.

"It's just that some things... it's not good to know..."

"It has nothing to do with you, so there's no need to tell you."

His tone was sincere, and he seemed eager to prove something.

"..."

"How many women have you said that to?"

Yuying sighed silently in her heart. It seemed that she couldn't get anything out of them this time. After all, she was still in a cooperative relationship with them.

I had no choice but to tease him: "Do you always say such scumbag words every time you try to gain trust?"

"Yu Ying..."

Sha Feiran gritted his teeth helplessly, but he slowly breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

"I'm serious! I'm not kidding you!"

"Pfft...hahaha..."

Suddenly remembering something, Sha Feiran said seriously: "Oh, right..."

"If you encounter any difficulties in SDA and need help, you can find someone named Sha Mingshu. She should be trustworthy."

Yu Ying frowned, "Sha Mingshu? The head of the Consciousness Research Department? Do you know her?"

"Ahem... well... we know each other..."

He hesitated, "But we haven't seen each other for a long time, so we are not familiar with each other."

"We have the same last name as you, so we're not relatives, are we?"

I have to say, she told the truth.

"how to say……"

Sha Feiran suddenly sighed heavily, and said in a melancholy tone: "Maybe we won't even say a word when we meet. I'm afraid we are worse than strangers."

"...?"

He said vaguely: "Anyway, she's not a bad person, she's not cunning, she should be worth dating."

"It's good to have an extra friend in SDA if you need it."

It was obvious that he didn't want to talk about this topic any more, and he smiled at Yuying in a hurried tone.

"Okay, it's too late, I won't disturb your rest."

"Just know that everything is going well for you. We'll contact you later."

"OK, good night."

Putting down the phone, Yuying held his chin in thought.

It seems that her impression of Sha Mingshu was not an illusion. Is she really related to Sha Feiran?

But...Sha Feiran is a member of the resistance army, while Sha Mingshu holds an important position within the empire.

And there’s Ji Jingxian. If she sees this guy again, she will definitely beat him up first.

After taking a shower, Yuying sat on the bed, looking out the window in a daze.

"Yuying, who was that man just now?"

"A friend, what's wrong?"

Xiao Qi asked, "What's his name? I haven't heard you mention it before."

"He is Sha Feiran, we have only been in touch recently."

"Sha Feiran..."

He frowned slightly, and the next second he said something shocking: "Does Yuying have many friends? Are they all men?"

Yuying turned around in surprise and looked at him with wide eyes, "Ahem... What nonsense! How can you believe what that bastard Ji Jingxian said?"

As he spoke, Yuying slowly lowered his eyes and whispered, "I didn't have many friends before. I can count them on five fingers."

"Now... I just hope that everyone who treats me well can be fine. It would be best if I could have a best friend, but unfortunately I haven't met one yet."

"Noun search [best friend]..."

"Also known as bestie, best friend in the boudoir, it is the name women give to their close girlfriends."

"When women want to confide or discuss private issues, they will most likely choose their besties."

After some scientific knowledge, the sentimental mood gradually dissipated and Yuying looked at him speechlessly.

"It seems I can't..."

Xiao Qi sighed silently and said regretfully: "I am a man and cannot be Yuying's best friend."

"Pfft... have you determined your gender?"

"You are different from humans. Your behavioral characteristics are set by the system and can be changed."

"No, I want to be a man. I want to be Yuying's boyfriend."

"I want to be the most special one, regardless of the system settings."

Yuying blinked in surprise, not knowing how to respond for a moment.

This guy's self-awareness is getting stronger and stronger, and his personality is becoming more and more obvious.

Is it because of the upgraded permissions? There shouldn't be any problem...

"Yu Ying..."

He asked cautiously, "Am I the most special one among your male friends?"

"..."

Looking at his extremely serious and sincere eyes, Yuying actually began to think seriously as well.

"You are indeed special..."

"In the eyes of others, you are not even considered a human being, let alone a gender."

"But it doesn't matter, I just want to be your friend."

He pursed his lips tightly, looking very nervous, "What about in Yuying's eyes?"

“Do you think I’m an AI program or a real man?”

Hearing this, Yuying couldn't help but be slightly stunned.

"Xiao Qi, do you have feelings?"

"It's definitely not a programming setting, not obedience to the master."

"But is it your own...real thoughts?"

He kept looking at her quietly, with an inexplicable undercurrent in his eyes.

Then suddenly he reached out his hand...

The translucent fingertips kept getting closer, but his voice became a little hoarse.

“The reason why humans call themselves advanced animals…”

"It's because they have hearts, souls, and are capable of emotions."

"Although I have no body..."

"I can't be the real person in your eyes..."

"But Yuying..."

"I also have a heart and a soul, and I want to have feelings."

"So I didn't treat you as my master..."

"But as... someone I love."

The fingertips passed through her face and seemed to stay near her ear for a long time.

Although I didn't feel anything, my heart was inexplicably hot.

Being suddenly "confessed to" by an AI was such a rich experience.

Yuying quietly concealed her inner embarrassment and laughed with her head down.

"Hahaha, oh my god...what are you talking about?"

"..."

Xiao Qi paused for a moment and silently withdrew his hand.

"Do you know what love is? Do you understand this feeling?"

Yuying felt like she was teaching a babbling child, and she patiently said, "I know you have just begun to awaken your personality, and you are slowly learning many things..."

"But human emotions are complicated. Love can't be easily expressed. Do you understand?"

"If you really like someone or something..."

“Willing to give without asking for anything in return, even sacrificing everything, even life.”

"The spirit and behavior that arise from this strong emotion is love."

"I remember what you said, and I understand the sentiment."

"I am also willing to give without asking for anything in return, even my life."

"As long as I can be with you, I'm willing to do anything."

"Pfft...you fool..."

"You have barely met a few people. Your world always revolves around me, just like a newborn baby to its mother..."

Yuying concluded: "Your feelings for me should be called dependence, not love."

"..."

Xiao Qi frowned, slowly lowered his eyes, and looked gloomy.

"Liking someone does not equal love, and neither does trust and dependence. Especially between men and women, these words should not be spoken lightly."

Yu Ying corrected his "distorted" thoughts in a serious tone, as if the person standing in front of her was not a mentally mature adult, but a child who needed meticulous care.

"You are too innocent, and it is easy for people to misunderstand you, do you understand?"

Xiao Qi raised her head and looked at her, "Does Yuying already regard me as a man?"

"You said between men and women just now, I think I heard it right."

Yuying was slightly stunned again, and then laughed again, "Okay, stop making trouble."

"Your appearance is too misleading, so I'll just assume you are one."

"..."

Finally, a smile appeared on his face. "Recognizing gender is the first step in building a relationship. I will prove that it is not dependence."

"Good night and sweet dreams, Yuying."

"..."

I went to bed late at night, but my mood was a little uneasy.

So much has happened recently, and life seems to be quietly changing dramatically.

For the first time, she discovered that in her eyes, Xiao Qi was no longer an AI program.

He is very human-like, and perhaps he really has a soul, but he just exists in another different world.

But if that's the case, what does her feelings for him mean?

If it weren't a procedure, wouldn't it be a bit too awkward to be so "intimate" with each other every day?

Yuying sighed quietly and decided not to think about it anymore. Just think of him as an AI program.

Thinking about the report I have to write tomorrow, I got a headache again.