It was Lillian. Her voice came from inside a large tube. Her body, blown apart in the explosion, had been pieced back together, though only a small portion. Her barely functioning brain floated in the liquid, tubes and wires connecting to it. "Sophia mustâve cried a lot, huh?" she added with a soft sigh.
Zack approached the tube, his expression serious. "Iâll ask you one last time," he said, ignoring her question. His voice was cold and direct. "Are you absolutely sure you want to live like this?"
Lillianâs face softened as she fell into quiet reflection. "Sophiaâs father passed away early," she began after a moment. "The weight of the family business fell on me, and I never had time to be there for her. Even when the apocalypse came, I failed her..."
"Stop." Zack cut her off, his voice sharp. "You know thatâs not what Iâm asking," he continued, leaning closer to the tube. "The funeral was perfect. Everyone was there. Sophia believes youâre really gone now. Sheâs finally accepted your death." Zackâs eyes narrowed. "Why not let it end there? Rest in peace. Do you really want to end up like Gers? What happens if you show up one day, looking like this, and tell Sophia youâre still alive?"
His words were blunt, cutting through any illusions of hope. Lillian was silent for a long time, her face clouded with emotion. Finally, she spoke, her voice steady despite the tears forming in her eyes. "Youâre right," she said softly. "But I still wonât change my mind. No matter what I become, as long as I can protect Sophia... Iâll do it. Iâm willing to give up everything for her."
Zack sighed. "Fine," he said after a pause. "But Iâm warning you now," he continued, his tone cold and unyielding. "After the transformation, Iâll have complete control over you. Your thoughts, your actionsâeverything will be under my command. My orders will override even your own will." He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "Theoretically, I could even make you harm Sophia. And youâd do it without hesitation."
Lillian smiled faintly. "I trust you," she said simply.
Zackâs brows furrowed, caught off guard by her confidence. "Donât misunderstand me," she continued. "You may be ruthless on the outside, but youâre kind at heart. Youâd never hurt her."
Zack glanced at the monitor beside the tube, where a scrolling display of her brainâs thoughts was being processed in real-time. "Ahem," Zack said, his expression darkening. "You do know I can see what youâre thinking, right?"
Lillian froze, "Letâs just get on with it," she muttered, changing the subject quickly.
Zack shook his head, he slipped on his lab coat. He adjusted his gloves and pushed Lillianâs culture chamber under the robotic arms. Nearby, two shelves were lined with pre-made artificial mechanical organs that looked eerily similar to their human counterparts. "How can you be so sure I can keep you alive?" Zack asked, his tone calm but probing.
In truth, he wasnât the one performing the transformation. The real work was handled by the robotic arms overhead and a swarm of nano-mechanical insects designed for delicate procedures. "Do you think I had a choice back then?" Lillian said, forcing a faint smile despite the situation. "But I figured if someone like you can create such advanced exoskeletons, then maybeâjust maybeâyou could pull off something like the Vanguard organization and bring me back."
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"Let me make something clear," Zack replied flatly, adjusting the console. "I canât resurrect people. All Iâm doing is salvaging someone who isnât completely dead."
As soon as he finished speaking, the robotic arms sprang to life, moving with mechanical precision. Lillianâs eyes flickered with fear as the robotic arms descended toward her. "Itâs not too late to change your mind," Zack offered, pausing the process with the press of a button.
"No! I donât regret it!" Lillian quickly protested, though her voice wavered. "Itâs just..." She hesitated, glancing nervously at the machinery around her. "For such a big procedure, are you sure you donât want to give me anesthesia first?" she asked, trying to sound nonchalant but failing miserably.
"You wonât feel anything. Your pain-conducting nervous system has already been severed," Zack said, not looking up from the console. "But if youâre scared, I can knock you out."
"Iâm not scared. Just get on with it," Lillian replied, attempting to sound brave.
"Alright." Zack nodded and resumed the procedure.
The robotic arms moved again, carefully picking up mechanical components to begin the transformation. As the first tool neared her, Lillian clenched her eyes shut and blurted out, "Okay, Iâm scared! Knock me out! Do it now!"
Zack sighed, pressing a blue button on the console. "You know," he said dryly as she slipped into unconsciousness almost instantly, "the procedure hasnât even started yet."
With her finally out cold, Zackâs expression grew serious. "Ego, is it ready?" Zack muttered, focusing entirely on the task at hand.
âSir, the foundational blueprints for synthetic human anatomy have been compiled. Iâve integrated existing knowledge of bioengineering and nanotechnology with data extracted from pre-collapse archives. Additionally, extrapolated models from experimental neural-interface research have provided pathways for augmenting brain-machine integration. The synthetic human model relies on three critical components: the neural bridge, the artificial organ network, and the bionic exoskeleton. Shall I detail the construction sequence?â
âGo on,â Zack said, crossing his arms as the holographic display shifted to a three-dimensional schematic.
âThe neural bridge acts as the central interface between Lillianâs organic brain and the mechanical systems. Itâs composed of ultra-thin graphene nanowires, which are flexible yet conductive enough to handle the brainâs complex bioelectric signals. These nanowires will connect to the neural nodes implanted in the mechanical bodyâs core systems.â
âSounds straightforward so far,â Zack muttered.
âThe artificial organ network,â Ego continued, âutilizes synthetic mechanical components designed to replicate essential functions. Unlike conventional prosthetics, these organs are modular and equipped with integrated nanomachines to maintain functionality autonomously. Finally, the bionic exoskeleton uses a Ultralium alloy for strength and durability. This material is resistant to corrosion and capable of withstanding extreme environmental conditions. The internal framework incorporates shock absorption and kinetic redistribution systems to handle high-impact scenarios.â
âGood, letâs start the process than.â Zack ordered. Several hours later, The transformation was nearly complete. The final mechanical component clicked into place, and the lifeless body on the table gleamed under the sterile lab lights.
Except for the brain, Lillianâs body was now entirely mechanical or synthetic. The cost of the materials alone was astronomical, but Zack didnât care about the price. There was still one critical piece missing: "Bionic skin ready?" Zack asked.
"Production complete, sir," Ego replied.
Zack nodded and removed his gloves, stepping aside to drink a cup of chlorophyll juice while the sterile cabin completed its work. When the notification chimed, Zack placed the empty cup down and walked to the cabin. Through the observation window, he saw the finished productâa perfectly sculpted female body.