Chapter 11: How to Confuse a Cyborg 101: Offer a Farewell Hug

Chronos City, Evening

In the northern quadrant, countless holographic advertisements bathe the bustling market with a kaleidoscope of colors. As waves of people flowed between the vibrant projections, shuttling through the organized crowd.

"BioSyn Innovations, a leading pioneer in advanced genetic engineering, today unveiled Helix Prime, a breakthrough gene formular capable of unprecedented health optimization and disease prevention..."

Nox, clad in a casual t-shirt and jeans, looked at the flashing ads with curiosity as he walked alongside Lyra. Her polished appearance - a crisp white blouse, slacks, and platinum blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail - gave her a professional air.

Along the way, he saw many similar advertisements. He found such things novel, as he was a businessman in a previous life and in this life, he wanted to continue on the same path.

So he was really curious on how advertisement in this tech-advanced world works. 

"We are here.. Nox." Nox heard Lyra's words and looked over. Right now they were standing in front of a shop named 'OffGrid'.

"You want to purchase your work material from this shop?" Nox pointed at the shop, which was packed with people and asked Lyra.

Yes, the reason why they are here is because Lyra wanted to buy some materials for her research and she asked him to tag along. As Nox also wanted to look into the market, he agreed.

"Mm-hmm" Lyra nodded in response. As she walked toward the store, Nox followed while looking round with a face full of curiosity.

"What does this shop sell? And What is your work exactly?" While walking Nox asked casually. To be honest, till now he doesn't know what Lyra does normally. Except for her weird obsession for neutering.

Don't tell me this shop is related to neutering? Thinking about this, Nox steps faltered. Based on Lyra's character it is indeed possible.

But there is no way, people would line up for that right? 

"It sells cyberwarez for enhancement." Lyra, glanced at Nox from the corner of her eyes and replied with the same monotonous tone.

"You are going to have an enhancement?" Nox asked with a face full of surprise. He always though, Lyra was on the path of Genetic Enhancement because of the power she had shown in their first meeting when she tied him to bed and he couldn't retaliate.(He forgot he is weak)

Nox knew there were two main paths to augment one's abilities in this world. First one being, genetic Enhancement which includes Physical Enhancement, Neural Enhancement and Special Enhancements. It is done with the help of genetic medicines, which are based on genetic formulas.

And they are cheap to expensive depending upon type of enhancement, Like Special Enhancements are most expensive while physical enhancements fall under affordable range.

Then there were cybernetic enhancements - technological augmentations integrated into the body. More costly than their genetic counterparts but offering their own advantages. There is one such person in his class too.

"No, it's for a client," Lyra stated flatly, pulling Nox from his contemplation as she opened the door to OffGrid.

Despite the teeming crowd inside, an orderly quiet pervaded the store as patrons browsed the wares with a hushed reverence. Lyra navigated the aisles with ease, explaining, "The client at my institute wants a cybernetic replacement."

Nox trailed after her, his surprise morphing into curiosity. So Lyra's work involved outfitting others with enhancements rather than undergoing them herself.

At the front counter, Lyra fixed the shopkeeper with her piercing ice-blue gaze. "Order number 778223. Is my order ready yet?" she asked.

The shopkeeper offered a polished smile. "Dear customer, please allow me a moment to check the log." He ducked into the back room.

As the shopkeeper disappeared to retrieve the order, Nox turned to Lyra with a curious expression. "So what kind of enhancement are you doing for this client?"

Lyra's piercing blue eyes met his gaze, her arms folded across her chest. "It's an organ replacement. The client's biological organs were degrading, so they opted to have them replaced with cybernetic counterparts."

Nox nodded slowly, considering her words. "I see. Is the client elderly then? Getting replacement organs would make sense if age has started taking its toll."

Lyra shook her head. "No, it's quite the opposite. The client is young, barely 25 years old."

Nox's brows knit together in surprise. "Just 25? That's incredibly young for complete organ failure."

"Indeed," Lyra confirmed with a nod. "During a certain genetic enhancement procedure, some...complications arose. An unforeseen after-effect caused his organs to start degrading prematurely."

Nox leaned against the counter, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as Lyra's words sank in. "But aren't those genetic enhancement medicines thoroughly tested before being released to the market? To ensure they're safe for consumption?"

Lyra gave a measured nod. "That's the case for Tier 1 enhancements. Even those carry some chance of failure or side effects, but they're generally manageable." She paused, her expression growing more somber. "However, Tier 2 enhancements and above have a much higher failure rate. And the side effects can sometimes be...dangerous."

"Ah, right. These procedures are first simulated and tested in virtual reality environments before real-world applications." Realization dawned on Nox as fragmented memories resurfaced in his mind. 

He stroked his chin, putting the pieces together. "But no matter how sophisticated the simulations, there are always unknown variables when translating that research into a living, breathing human subject. Unpredictable factors that even the most stringent virtual trials couldn't account for."

Lyra gave a curt nod of confirmation. "Precisely." Talking till here, the shopkeeper returned, carrying a large secure case.

"Miss Lyra, your order is here." The Shopkeeper placed the box on the counter and said, "Payment has already been processed. Thank you for your patronage."

"Mm-hmm," Lyra responded crisply, taking the case from the counter. With the material in her hand, her task for today was completed. As she turned and headed toward the exit, Nox walked beside her.

While walking, Lyra glanced at Nox and said, "Oh, by the way, I need your help with one of my academic projects. You're proficient in creating virtual spaces, right? I saw that in your profile. Could you help me make a virtual space? I'll provide you with the details next time."

"Of course," Nox agreed. Original Nox profession involved creating virtual spaces.. Based on his memory, he felt confident he could do it, as long as it wasn't too complex.

"I'll transfer the payment in advance shortly. For now, I need to leave." Outside the store, Lyra stood with her suitcase and gazed at the sky, where the moon had risen, and said softly.

Nox looked at her side profile. Seeing her standing like this, he remembered how she had unexpectedly become angry before, and a smile appeared on his face. 'Well, she has indeed changed since the first time we met. In the beginning, she wasted no time. Now, she's explaining so much...'

'Now she's more human-like...'

"Okay then, see you tomorrow. If you feel bored, just drop me a message," Nox said with a bright smile. Before Lyra could respond, he opened his arms and stepped in front of her.

Lyra's eyes widened as Nox suddenly embraced her. She stiffened, her body going rigid as the suitcase pressed awkwardly between them. She looked at him with expressionless face and opened her mouth after a while.

"Do you wish to copulate again?" she asked bluntly. 

Nox's eyes nearly bulged out of his head as he quickly released the hug. "Wh-What? No! No, no, no!" He pinched her cheek lightly as if that could jar some sense into her. "It's just a goodbye hug, you idiot!"

Lyra blinked owlishly, her head tilting in utter confusion. "A...goodbye hug?" The concept was so bizarre to her.

"Yeah, you know, something humans do when they're leaving each other." Nox rolled his eyes, giving her other cheek a playful pinch. "Geez, have you been living under a rock?"

Lyra swatted his hand away, "Oh! You certainly have a knack for wasting time on meaningless trivialities."

Before Nox could retort, a sleek autonomous car floated and stopped in front of them, hovering silently. "Oh!" Lyra straightened. "My ride's here, so I'll be departing now."

She strode towards the vehicle, the door sliding open with a soft hiss. Pausing on the threshold, she glanced back over her shoulder. Through the tinted window, she caught Nox waving at her, an easy, amicable smile on his face.

'A goodbye hug, huh...' Lyra mulled over the odd human ritual, feeling a slight twinge of...something. Curiosity? Bewilderment? She gave a subtle shake of her head and ducked into the car's interior.

The door closed seamlessly behind her as the vehicle merged into the stream of traffic. Nox's figure quickly shrank in the rear view until he disappeared from sight, swallowed by the bustling city streets.

Settling into the plush seats, Lyra couldn't quite banish the peculiar interaction from her mind. 'How inefficient yet...strangely intriguing. I must investigate this "hug" phenomenon further.'