Chapter 11 Scam

Shortly after one in the afternoon, Liam and Andrew found themselves seated by the window of the Theological Seminary library café, chatting idly as they awaited their meeting.

In preparation for this encounter with Andrew's senior acquaintance, Liam had gone to some lengths to improve his appearance. He donned a fresh set of sportswear, washed and styled his hair, and presented himself with a more composed and mature demeanor.

The past few weeks had been relentlessly harsh on Liam. From the calamities that struck his family to the life-threatening incident shortly after his arrival at the academy, his mental burdens had begun to manifest outwardly, leaving him visibly drained.

Yet, despite his worn expression and slender frame, Liam's natural good looks remained striking. His features were sharp and well-defined, his skin a healthy, sun-kissed tone reminiscent of athletic youth, evoking the vibrant energy of a basketball-loving teenager.

Liam's appearance wasn't that of a pale, delicate "pretty boy," nor did he lean toward the neutral fashion aesthetics of modern trends. His brow held a certain resoluteness, his profile bearing an uncanny resemblance to a younger version of a man once famously dubbed "Leonardo." Not the weathered, middle-aged Leonardo of recent years, but the youthful, iconic version.

By all accounts, if Liam were to enter the currently booming "Eternal World Talent Competition," he might very well secure the coveted center spot, rising to prominence for several years and perhaps earning an illustrious nickname along the way.

But Liam, ever pragmatic, held no interest in virtual stardom. He had always considered himself a "technical guy," preferring substance over spectacle.

...

Inside the café, as Liam and Andrew conversed, two young women strode in from a distance. Both stood tall at around 170 centimeters, their striking long legs and stunning figures commanding attention. Yet their appearances and clothing styles couldn't have been more distinct.

The girl on the left sported loose-fitting sweatpants and an oversized T-shirt, her hair tied in a simple ponytail. A pair of black-framed glasses adorned her face, giving her an unassuming and understated appearance from afar.

The girl on the right was far more striking. She wore a cropped T-shirt paired with perfectly tailored jeans that accentuated her figure, her shoulder-length hair dyed a soft, pale blue. Her entire demeanor exuded a captivating charm.

Liam glanced at the two girls and quickly asked, "Is it them?"

"Yep, the one on the right is my senior, Lillian," Andrew replied with a sly grin. "Stunning, isn't she?"

"...Your description is surprisingly accurate," Liam admitted with a nod.

Andrew stood up immediately, greeting her with an air of exaggerated confidence as he extended his hand. "Long time no see, Lillian!"

"Call me 'senior,'" Lillian replied with a playful roll of her eyes. She then turned her gaze to Liam, her eyes sparkling with interest. "Oh my, this handsome one must be your roommate?"

"Indeed! Allow me to introduce," Andrew said, baring his teeth in a grin. "This is Liam, a biology student. My junior."

Liam quickly stood as well. "Hello, Senior Lillian. Andrew is my... esteemed elder brother."

"Come on, we're at a prestigious institution. Can we not use terms that sound so... underworld?" Lillian teased as she sat gracefully, her gaze fixed on Liam. "Junior, you've got quite the looks. Ever thought about joining the student council? I could pull some strings for you."

"He's still got some growing up to do," Andrew interjected with a chuckle, glancing at the other girl who had arrived with Lillian. "And what about this young lady? Is she also part of the student council?"

The girl adjusted her black-framed glasses, took a seat, and replied curtly, "No."

Lillian let out a giggle, covering her mouth as she looked at both Liam and Andrew with a hint of mischief. "Seriously? You guys don't recognize her?"

Both Liam and Andrew turned their heads, studying the bespectacled girl more carefully before shaking their heads in unison.

"Wow, what terrible observation skills!" Lillian exclaimed in mock despair. "She's Grace! The one you were so eager to meet!"

At this revelation, Grace, her expression remaining neutral, gave them a small nod. "We met yesterday at the admissions office."

"Ah, so you're the 'Smurf'?" Andrew exclaimed in astonishment, blurting out the nickname without a second thought.

Grace's expression remained unchanged upon hearing the moniker, but Lillian swiftly slapped Andrew on the arm. "Show some respect!"

"Apologies, I got carried away," Andrew replied sheepishly, stealing another glance at Grace. "But honestly, your transformation since yesterday... it's a bit too dramatic, isn't it?"

The sunlight streaming into the café after the rain cast a gentle glow on the faces of the two young women. Lillian's natural allure spoke for itself, but Grace's serene demeanor, coupled with her refined features, left both Liam and Andrew quietly stunned.

Gone was the punk aesthetic from the previous day. Grace looked like an entirely different person. Her oval face, fair and almost translucent skin, and delicately high-bridged nose were complemented by a pair of lively, expressive eyes. Strands of hair cascading naturally down her cheeks added a youthful, radiant charm that felt rare and refreshing.

As the saying goes, there are many kinds of beauty: some captivate at first glance but reveal flaws upon closer inspection, while others may appear ordinary initially but grow more striking the longer you look. But true beauty—supreme beauty—encompasses both. Grace belonged to this rare category. It was hard to fathom why she had chosen the punk look yesterday, complete with oversized black-framed glasses.

In fact, with modern medical advancements, even those with severe myopia could easily find permanent solutions with minimal risk of regression. Glasses had become almost obsolete, making her choice of such an old-fashioned accessory all the more puzzling.

Perhaps they were just a style statement, Liam mused to himself.

Grace, seated beside Lillian, wasted no time getting to the point. She looked directly at them and asked, "What's the reason you wanted to see me?"

"Yes, I do," Liam quickly responded. "You've probably heard about what happened with Eric, right? The AI teacher?"

"I have," Lillian replied, picking up the thread. "The AI Management Office informed the student council earlier today. They said Eric is scheduled for decommissioning and asked us to communicate this with some of the students."

"Here's the thing," Liam began, his voice soft but resolute. "Eric was damaged while saving me. I can't shake the guilt, so Andrew and I have been brainstorming to see if there's any way we can save him."

"How exactly do you plan to save him?" Lillian asked, her tone tinged with skepticism. "The management office has already issued its decision. As students, we don't have the power to change that."

"We were thinking of covering the costs ourselves," Liam paused before continuing.

The moment those words left his mouth, even Grace, who had maintained an impassive demeanor until now, appeared visibly taken aback.

"Cover the costs yourselves? Is your family wealthy?" Lillian asked, her curiosity piqued.

"We're not wealthy," Liam replied tactfully, "but my parents left me some savings. Andrew mentioned that your parents' company specializes in developing kinetic cores. That's why I wanted to ask if it might be possible to purchase one through you—to save Eric's life."

This time, Lillian didn't respond immediately. Instead, she turned her gaze to Grace.

"Do you understand robotics?" Grace asked, lightly adjusting her black-framed glasses with a delicate motion.

Liam shook his head. "I have a strong interest in them, but I wouldn't say I'm knowledgeable."

"If I recall correctly," Grace began, her tone matter-of-fact, "Eric's own weight is approximately 3.15 tons. His system comprises over 20,000 electronic components and at least fifteen high-energy-consuming devices. For him to function properly, he would need a kinetic core no less than a Deep Blue Parallel 8. A standard kinetic core simply wouldn't suffice." She paused briefly. "On top of that, his energy chamber is almost entirely destroyed. Every single electronic component that's been damaged would have to be sourced from the market. Since Eric is a six-year-old model, many of those components are either discontinued or have been replaced by newer versions. Do you have any idea how much all of this would cost?"

"How much?" Andrew asked, his voice tentative.

"Possibly over twenty million," Grace replied, her expression composed and voice indifferent. "And that doesn't even include the labor costs. Besides, if you're doing it on your own, how do you plan to access the repair equipment?"

Hearing this, Liam quickly responded, "For the repair equipment, I can try applying to borrow it from the academy. But as for the kinetic core, isn't there any way to reduce the cost? Even if it's a second-hand or third-hand model, we'd be okay with that."

"You're suggesting not using the Deep Blue series but opting for a core from my family's company instead?" Grace clarified.

"Exactly. The reason we reached out to you was to ask for your help—" Liam started, only to be interrupted.

"You're being far too naive," Grace said, adjusting her glasses with a hint of exasperation. "The technology behind kinetic cores is fiercely competitive. It would be impossible to integrate our proprietary technology into a Deep Blue product, especially for repairing Eric, which is technically academy property. That would be a blatant violation of commercial confidentiality."

"Oh," Andrew murmured, realizing belatedly that he and Liam had overlooked such a critical point in their earlier discussions.

"I really can't help you with this," Grace said plainly, her tone leaving no room for negotiation. Glancing between the two of them, she continued, "Anything else? If not, we'll be taking our leave."

Hearing this, Liam stood up abruptly, calling out, "Wait, Grace!"

"What is it?" Grace asked, her gaze settling on him with a hint of curiosity.

"If I were to purchase Eric, would that change anything? I'm even willing to transfer ownership to your company. All I ask is that you bring him back to life. Would that work?" Liam spoke quickly, his desperation evident. "It's like this—we pay to buy Eric, but in return, you'd have a free testing platform for new products. And think about it: Eric's case can be turned into a compelling story. He sacrificed himself to protect a student. That's a narrative worth leveraging—it could bring your company significant positive publicity."

Andrew stared at Liam in astonishment. "This sounds a lot like con artistry!"

Grace blinked rapidly, clearly processing Liam's words, but she didn't walk away.

"To me," Liam continued, his voice raw with emotion, "he's so much more than just a machine. Maybe you can't understand it, but if it weren't for him standing between me and that killer, I would've been obliterated. Eric isn't just a teacher—he's a hero, an AI warrior who acted selflessly. Doesn't that make him worth saving? Think about it. If it were you in my place, facing danger, and someone—anyone—stepped forward to shield you, how would you feel?"

"Classic con artist technique—tugging on the heartstrings with a story," Andrew muttered under his breath, but then he quickly turned to Lillian. "Come on, for the sake of all the deep connections we've shared, please help my little bro out!"

"We've never shared any deep connections," Lillian retorted, rolling her eyes. "But the idea of spinning this for publicity… it does have merit."

…

Elsewhere in the academy.

Matthew, casually heading back to the dormitory, was suddenly stopped in his tracks by two campus security officers.

"What's this about?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Matthew, a freshman in the Biology Department?" one of the officers confirmed, before adding, "Daniel from the department wants to have a word with you."

Ten minutes later.

In the professor's office, an elderly man addressed the holographic projection screen, his voice heavy with sorrow. "It is with great regret that I must inform you—we lost Dr. William an hour ago. Despite our best efforts, he couldn't be saved. He refused memory downloading before his passing, choosing to leave us completely."

On the large screen, several senior figures displayed visible grief, their reddened eyes silently communicating the weight of their loss as they engaged in quiet conversation with Daniel.

A short while later, the electronic door chime sounded. Daniel wiped at the corners of his eyes before turning to open the office door.

Matthew sauntered in casually, his demeanor nonchalant as he asked, "So, you're Daniel? What's this about?"

Daniel's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the man standing before him. "Velmora Police Joint Office, Criminal Affairs Division—the only investigator to climb from the bottom rung without a college degree, straight to the top of the forensic ladder. Quite the impressive resume, Matthew!"