"Damn, you actually have friends? How did you meet them? A boyfriend or girlfriend?" Sun Jack looked at Tapai with great surprise.
"Met them online. The digital world is actually quite interesting; I've experienced a lot there, it's just a pity you old relic hardly ever play around with it."
"Who you calling an old relic? My memories may come from the past, but they could be fake for all I know. If that's the case, then I'm a true Metropolis man."
Without thinking, Sun Jack reached inside his trench coat and felt for something, discovering an unopened pack of cigarettes had already been placed there in advance.
Lighting up two cigarettes, Sun Jack looked at Tapai in front of him, "Your friend's got some skills, navigating through such a harsh environment to pinpoint me, even breaking through PPF Group's barrier."
After hearing this, Tapai looked at Sun Jack, "Do you believe me?"
This question caught Sun Jack off guard; Tapai had never asked him anything like this before, and suddenly Tapai seemed a bit unfamiliar.
Patting the other's stiff body, Sun Jack said, "What nonsense are you talking about? You've risked your life to save me so many times, of course I believe you."
"If you believe me, then don't ask. I know you want to understand my circle of friends, but one of the conditions for his help is absolute privacy. There are some things I don't want to lie to you about. I said I would help you, and I will help you, no matter what means I use, you don't need to worry about it."
Sun Jack sighed and patted him on the shoulder. "Why would I ask him? I don't even know the guy. I'm asking you, what's up with you? How come you're a little different than before, not even sending those broken expression emoticons?"
Tapai sat down next to him, and Sun Jack could actually discern a hint of confusion in his metallic demeanor.
"I haven't changed; I'm just a bit tired. I've been trying to figure out what it means to be human, constantly learning and imitating, as you requested, but I've never gotten it right. However, human reference data seems to be changing."
"I feel like I've learned something yet also like I've learned nothing."
"If you're tired, then stop learning."
"Recently, I suddenly don't want to anymore, because now I have more important things to do, no time to calculate all that."
"What things?"
"Saving you."
Sun Jack took a breath and let it out, looking at the slightly different Tapai before him, he finally nodded. "Alright! I won't ask then. I only have one condition, don't hurt yourself trying to help me. You can do whatever else you want, as long as you are Tapai, that's all that matters. This is my final command as your master."
Without realizing it, the rain outside the window grew heavier, and the neon-lit Metropolis once again appeared in the skyline view.
With his face lit up by the changing neon lights, Tapai finally nodded. "Alright, I promise you."
Hearing this, Sun Jack laughed, making a fist and playfully punching his chest's Armor Plate twice, "Why so serious? Lighten up a bit."
"٩(•̤̀ᵕ•̤́๑)ᵒᵏᵎᵎᵎᵎ"
As the two were having a serious conversation, the Poet suddenly raised a finger, eyes shining with excitement, and said, "Ah!! I've got inspiration again!"
"Shut up!!"
"Shut up!!"
Sun Jack and Tapai spoke at the same time.
It was then that the spaceship gently landed on the helipad of the medical center, and as the hatch opened, Sun Jack stepped out into the rain and took a deep breath.
Feeling quite emotional, he said, "Back in Metropolis, the place I know so well. Never thought I'd be nostalgic for this dump."
Tapai followed him out, "Cut the sentiment, prince. You've still got unfinished business—the FFP copycat is still squatting in your spot. (•̀д•́)"
"Damn." Sun Jack's mood soured instantly when he heard that. He leaped onto Tapai's back, "Let's go! Home, to kill that impostor!"
Blue flames shot out of Tapai's thrusters, evaporating the falling rain rapidly as Tapai soared into the sky with Sun Jack on his back.
The Poet, still pondering for inspiration, was startled into awareness as he watched them leave, and he rushed into the rain, shouting, "Hey! You're all leaving? What about me? Someone's still here! Hey!!"
Flying above the Metropolis, Sun Jack looked down and saw the city in the midst of reconstruction, with construction robots everywhere and drones moving bricks up and down.
Upon reaching Shendong Street, it was clear that the same was true even for the Buddha statue, which had been rebuilt and now covered in a layer of gold.
This gold, under the illumination of the spotlights, appeared incredibly dazzling and sacred.
"Fuck, who is the idiot with so much money they don't know what to do with it, even wasting it on this crap?" Sun Jack was dismissive of such feudal superstition.
"Don't talk like that. Sometimes, when you're out of options, people need something spiritual to lean on."
Sun Jack was about to retort when he saw Utopia Security's building, which had been destroyed but now stood rebuilt, even more impressive and majestic than before.
The next second, Sun Jack saw a suit-clad Sun Jack getting out of a luxurious hovercar, accompanied by Linda Linda and Abu, heading toward the building's entrance. "Fuck!"
As Sun Jack smacked hard on Tapai's back, they dove swiftly towards the ground, crashing to a stop in front of the other Sun Jack just as he was about to enter the building.
The mercenaries in the corporate lobby, hearing the commotion, rushed out, guns at the ready, pointing at the enemy, while the automated defense systems at the company entrance activated instantly.
But when they saw who had arrived, everyone was confused. Why was it Sun Jack again?
"Which Clone are you? Why haven't you joined the Sun Jack network?" Suit-clad Sun Jack looked somewhat puzzled as he sent a request through the internal network.
"Stop fucking pretending! You impostor! I am the original, you're the fake!" Along with the network request connection, Sun Jack's voice echoed in the minds of every Sun Jack Clone.
Before long, the Sun Jacks of all shapes and colors gathered in the sky over Metropolis, quickly converging towards the Pu Xi District. As the skies filled with Sun Jacks, everyone in Metropolis knew something big was happening.
One by one, the Sun Jacks landed, almost filling Shendong Street to capacity, with every inch of the gold-plated Buddha covered in Sun Jacks too. Staring unblinkingly at the scene, the atmosphere suddenly grew tense.