SOTOPIA: Artificial Pseudo-God

After a short period of self-reflection, Steven felt that there was a problem with the statement of "exactly the same". Softer, with similar temperament, but Rosa's eyes are more restrained and shrewd than sharp.

In addition, Steven had an inappropriate thought: Rosa was simply a female version of Moskevich—maybe genetically.

Especially after doing everything with Moskevich, and seeing someone so close to Moskevich, who could be described as a "twin sister", Steven couldn't help feeling a little bit awkward.

At this moment, sitting in a booth at the nearest café, they looked like estranged young couples discussing divorce.

Rosa cut open the pastry with a delicate table knife and delivered it to the mouth with an elegance commensurate with her appearance, and her slender shoulders did not move much.Steven, who was sitting across from her, didn't order anything, but drank his coffee cautiously and silently.There is no sugar added to the coffee, which is very refreshing.After a while, he took the initiative to ask: "Are you working for Sotopia?"

Rosa, the former insight, now the new psychoanalyst of the Bureau of Strategic Planning, nodded.

"Are you looking for me on account of Moskevich?"

"Yes." Rosa replied.She looked at Steven—this man was different from the one she saw in the FBI personnel file—and then explained: "Mrs. Renault wants to see him."

Steven stopped in place when he picked up the teacup.He looked at Rosa, wondering if the young woman was "delivering a message" or had the purpose of further testing.

So he replied: "I can't decide that, and I have to ask Moskevich himself. But I don't think he wants to have anything to do with you, and neither do I."

Rosa smiled slightly: "You are avoiding risks for him, but we all know this is not a long-term solution." Like a little girl, she rested her chin on her hands, resting her elbows on the table, her beautiful eyes were raised slightly, Watching Steven with interest. "You are much more interesting than in the file. Half of the reason I came to find you is because my 'twin brother' spoke highly of you."

Steven smiled bitterly: "It's been more than two years, and you are still watching."

"It's protection."

"That sounds nice."

"It's okay to do."

Steven has almost lost his temper with Rosa—in fact, even if Rosa wasn't so sharp-tongued, as long as he faced this face similar to Moskevich, he would inherently lack the ability to resist.

And Rosa's next question may not be as beautiful as her appearance: "How, since you treat my 'brother' so differently, do you have a different interest in me who share a common genetic source? "

Steven glanced at the ring on her hand and the obvious playful expression on her face, thinking that this was another simple and rude temptation, so he gave a simpler and rude response: "Let's forget it. If Mosk If Vicky is a woman, our family Caroline may already be my sister."

"...Wow, the action is really fast, and your words are really exciting." Rosa raised her eyebrows exaggeratedly, showing a teasing expression. "But yes, although Moskevich and I are like two figures inside and outside the mirror on the biological level, but in the social sense, they are two people who have nothing to do with each other."

"And you're already married."

Rosa looked at her ring, with a relaxed and happy smile on her face: "Yes, I specially picked the most handsome colleague in the department. Do you want to meet? Maybe you can find something in common with him .”

Steven shook his head and declined this incredible invitation: "Moskevich doesn't know about your existence, does he?"

Rosa, who restrained her redundant expression, nodded. "After I left the lab, I stayed at the Institute to work and came into contact with his experimental records by chance. Since Moskevich is unwilling to get involved with Sotopia, there is no need for us to force it. I think he will not be willing either see me."

Steven nodded.Immediately afterwards, he asked a question that had been circling in his mind for a long time: "Is Mrs. Renault safe now?"

Rosa frowned, as if she didn't understand what Steven meant.

Steven added: "She has been entrusting others to spread the word, which makes people think too much. I even wonder if she can't appear in the public eye now."

"You're right." Rosa put down the coffee cup in his hand, his expression became serious: "Things are changing."

Steven suddenly had an ominous premonition: "...Is it going in a bad direction?"

Rosa didn't answer, but just continued on his own: "We the insight, as well as high-level officials like Mrs. Renault, may die in an accident created by the opposition at any time. Don't forget, we are the 'enemies' of the United States." Ah. If it was two years ago, the relationship between the two sides was not so stiff, but now some people are not even willing to maintain this kind of hypocritical peace. So—" She suddenly held Steven's hand, slender and white His fingers trembled slightly. "Please be sure to protect Moskevich, this is the only expectation I have from you."

Looking at the other party's sincere eyes, Steven can be sure that the other party's mood at the moment is not pretending.

"I'll do it if you don't tell me." He replied calmly. "But you came to me rashly, didn't you think it was lacking in consideration. If there is any safety problem in the middle, I'm afraid I have to bear the responsibility."

Rosa looked out the window, his eyes pointed: "Someone is protecting me."

Moskevich, who had temporarily dyed his hair, deliberately changed into a casual winter outfit and added a pair of plain glasses, looking like an ordinary young man who can be seen everywhere and is inconspicuous.It's just that passers-by who passed by him would not know that this young man walked through the community park to the nearest residential building, and there was a stick in the pocket of his hoodie.

In fact, half of agreeing to Caroline's request came from a keen interest in Steven's day-to-day work.Moskevich knew roughly what people in this line of work were doing and how to do it.It's just different from the experience of people in the industry. The conclusions drawn by Moskevich relying on guesswork are often more procedural.

This can also explain why Moskevich's first "sneak investigation" failed within half an hour.

At a distance of more than ten meters, Moskevich pretended to be a nearby resident who happened to pass by, and followed the target person through the open-air parking lot and urban green space sandwiched between the buildings.Worried that he would be discovered if he got too close, he hid in a deserted corner and watched the man's seemingly ordinary movements with breathless concentration.

At this moment, one hand suddenly covered his mouth from behind, and the other directly blocked his waist, dragging Moskevich backward for a few meters, and got stuck in the street where he could not be found. narrow blind spot.Moskevich reflexively prepared to take out the swinging stick, but found that his hands were also firmly restrained, unable to move.

The opponent quickly let go of his hand.

"What are you doing here?" Steven's voice sounded displeased.He stared at Moskevich's short, dyed hair, and for a moment didn't quite understand which song he was singing.

But Moskevich's face was not much better.

"What's that smell on you?" Moskevich sniffed while clutching Steven's collar, staring at the other's face with suspicion. "It's still black currant perfume. Neither Kay nor your single female neighbor has ever used this kind of perfume—tell me, which strange woman did you deal with just now?"

"Wait, no matter what kind of soap opera this is, why do you know perfume so well?"

Moskevich seemed a little resentful: "Don't forget who introduced the magazine to let me read "Perfume Sociology", an unbelievable modern research product." He stared at Steven's sleeve and inadvertently A small piece of coffee stain was rubbed, and several possible pictures have been quickly outlined in my mind.

Steven didn't leave any room for his wild imagination to continue to diverge.He grabbed Moskevich by the wrist and shoved the man straight into the car.It wasn't until he stayed in this confirmed safe environment that Steven told Moskevich the half of the parties involved what had happened before without reservation: "I saw your 'sister'."

"...Sister?" Moskevich frowned, looking puzzled.

Suddenly remembering that the other party didn't know the existence of Rosa, Steven added: "She is another clairvoyant who shares a set of genetic father with you. She is now working for Sotopia."

In this way, Moskevich, who was completely ignorant before, was able to guess the general idea.The young man's face turned completely cold: "What is she doing here?"

"That girl's name is Rosa." Compared with the resentful Moskevich, Steven's voice was calm and rational enough.

"I don't care about their names. What's she doing here?"

"She's here to send a message: Mrs. Reynolds wants to see you." Although I also don't want to get involved with a dangerous multinational organization like Sotopia, and I don't want Moskevich to get into any trouble because of it, but what is involved is after all Regarding the matter of another independent individual, Steven did not conceal much, but told the truth, leaving the decision-making authority to Moskevich himself.

Moskevich fell into a long silence.

It wasn't until Steven was about to begin to reflect on whether he had chosen the wrong words that Moskevich whispered, "At least I don't want to see them yet. There's a reason for that."

No one could understand what Moskevich was thinking at the moment better than Steven.

"However, Mrs. Renault seems to be in a dangerous situation." Steven did not intend to interfere with Moskevich's choice, but out of overall consideration, he still conveyed the consideration of another position.In this way, whether it is to Moskevich or Rosa, he has fulfilled his responsibility to convey information.

Moskevich did not answer right away.He just took off his flat glasses, threw them aside, consciously fastened his seat belt, and forcibly turned the topic to the work in front of him: "Steven, I suspect that the object of our investigation is the same person."

The man in the driver's seat shrugged helplessly, obviously used to the other party's simple and rude way of turning around: "Next time you follow others, at least pay attention to whether there is any opening behind you." He started the different car with ease. The eye-catching black Sonata carefully turned out of the dense car pile and drove towards the main road. "Stop staring at his crappy apartment, there's nothing in it right now."

Moskevich, who was sitting in the co-pilot's seat, looked at him curiously with his head sideways: "Have you ever gone in?"

Steven pointed to the remote control car thrown on the back row: "I can't get in, but this thing can. Anyway, our current destination is his latest base camp. Really, I originally planned to settle this alone Thing, every time you suddenly appear, you will bring me different degrees of trouble..." Having said that, Steven didn't intend to leave Moskevich halfway.