She Is Not Human

Chapter 19

Maya leaned down. Her lips touched his. Warmth met cold. From her soft mouth, a thread of cool liquid metal flowed, slipping between his lips, probing deep into his body.

Just as she had done when first inhabiting this body, she channeled her remaining energy through the metal filament, guiding it to repair damaged cells at the microscopic level.

Max's body temperature spiked. Intense heat flared within him, accelerating his healing process threefold.

The light in Maya's eyes dimmed steadily. She didn't contemplate the consequences if she failed to rouse Max in time. She didn't question why she was pouring everything into saving him, healing him. It was simply done.

Lost in delirium, Max felt something soft and warm pressing against his lips. His long eyelashes fluttered weakly. Through the narrow slit of his vision, he saw the faint light emanating from the nearby machine police units. Slowly, the shadow above him resolved into a familiar shape.

His gaze locked onto luminous cerulean eyes. They were like gems descended from the heavens, radiating an utterly captivating light.

His vision, blurred and unfocused, sharpened into intense focus. A dream?

He was kissing her.

Something soft and sinuous teased inside his mouth. Instinctively, his tongue counterattacked with practiced skill, parting her lips and delving deeper.

He kissed her slowly, savoring the taste, exploring her lips and tongue with gentle thoroughness, as if she were the most exquisite delicacy.

Maya froze for a split second. Why is he pushing his tongue in? His intrusion tangled his tongue, her exploratory metal filament, and her own tongue into an awkward knot, momentarily inseparable.

And... what was this strange tingling sensation spreading from her tongue? Her heart pounded violently, uncontrollably. Her breath grew hot. A tremor ran through her body. A small, involuntary gasp escaped her throat.

CRUNCH! The floor beneath them suddenly dropped several inches. Maya's forehead slammed hard into Max's.

The machine police shields flickered dangerously. The metal giants stood frozen in place, currents still frying their control chips internally. Even a trace of a Controller's energy could short them out; being caught between two in conflict was catastrophic.

Not enough time. Faster.

The thought crystallized. Maya didn't break the kiss. She used her hands too.

Her smooth, flawless hand pressed against Max's muscular chest. A web of metallic filaments spread instantly from her palm, piercing deep into his flesh.

Max's body seemed to ignite. A wave of intense sensation, like pure electricity, surged through every limb and bone, flooding him with power.

Gzzzt! Energy reserves critical! The internal carrier within Maya flashed the warning.

Not yet. Not enough.

The light in Maya's eyes faded further. She kept her hand pressed against his skin.

WARNING! Initiating hibernation mode!

No. Keep going. Need more energy. A trickle of blood seeped from the corner of Maya's mouth, mingling with the blood already staining their joined lips.

She didn't truly understand what expending her last reserves would achieve. If Maya's body died, she could find another host. The collapsing tower posed no ultimate threat to her.

The one truly in mortal danger was the unconscious Max. If he died here, there would be no second chance.

Humans. Such fragile lives.

Max's eyes fluttered open. Clarity replaced confusion, then shock.

She was on top of him, kissing him. Not a dream. The setting was hellish, but her unique scent filled his senses, her soft lips brushing his as she started to pull away. Then, without moving an inch, she slumped forward, her small, soft body collapsing onto his.

Her breath, growing steadily weaker, warmed his ear. The sensation sent fresh tremors through his battered body.

He wrapped his arms around her. His hands encountered sticky wetness. Blood. Her arms were crisscrossed with deep gashes torn by the violent pressure waves. The sight was horrifying.

Max's heart seemed to tear itself apart, the pain so intense it felt like it might stop. His dark eyes became fathomless pits, burning with fierce resolve.

She thinks she's dying... and this is her final farewell?

So, deep down... there was never anyone else. A wave of profound regret washed over Max. They'd been together for years. She was accustomed to his presence, his care. Who else could love her, cherish her, protect her as he had?

"Maya..." he rasped, his voice thick with emotion. "I won't... let you die."

Above them, the weakened shields finally failed. Holding Maya tightly, Max looked up as a rain of rubble cascaded down, burying them instantly.

The floor gave way with a thunderous roar, plunging them into the level below.

A thick cloud of dust billowed into the sky. Thomas turned to Jack. "This time, survival is left to fate. Whether they live or die, it's the lesson we deliver. In this space, one must learn the rules of survival. Any delusion is futile. Now, you've done all you can. Can we leave? You can explain your... altered plan on the way."

This colossal mess would require significant effort to manage back home. But, given his original intent and status, the death of Mayor Smith and his son was inconsequential. Mere proxies, not Radiant Organization leadership. Hardly a threat.

Those who understood would know: this was a warning. The Radiant Organization's relentless infiltration of the Mechanical Space had crossed too many lines.

Jack met Thomas's gaze, his own filled with knowing mockery. He said nothing aloud, only a cold thought echoed in his mind: That little girl better pray she died in there. If I find her alive... she'll learn the price of lighting a fire in a man.

Three hours later.

Mayor Smith, rescued from the rubble of the half-collapsed tower, hadn't even made it to the hospital. Lying on a stretcher, his hands swathed in mummy-like bandages, he trembled violently as he pointed a shaking finger at the ruins, his voice a raw scream: "Find him! Find him now! Even if Max is pulp... bring me back every scrap of that pulp!"

The moment those floors of the tower collapsed, rubble flew, dust billowed, and chaos reigned supreme. Such moments test the loyalty of a family's power.

Most of the dead were lifelong family guards who had shielded their masters with their own flesh and blood.

The true elites emerged largely unscathed—except for those cursed with truly rotten luck. Behind the glittering facade of the human world, mountains of bones always lie buried, especially in times of crisis.

Soot-covered young masters and mistresses were whisked away by luxury sky-yachts of varying opulence. For a time, the sheer concentration of vessels blotted out half the sky over City 9, forcing the city to impose a temporary civilian flight ban just so rescue craft could reach the Radiant Tower ruins and search for survivors.

Bloodied, mangled bodies were carried out and swiftly carted away, the handlers expressionless and stiff. Crowds gathered at a distance, buzzing with chatter. While peace in the Human Space was always tenuous, a disaster of this magnitude on the surface was only the second in over a decade.

Many still vividly remembered the shock fifteen years prior: the iconic thousand-story "Fernandez Tower" of City 1 collapsing overnight, countless dead and injured. Accompanying that event was the instantaneous annihilation of the vast Fernandez family.

Within three days, over two thousand direct members, tens of thousands of collateral relatives, and hundreds of thousands of associates—totaling hundreds of thousands—vanished without a trace, as if erased from existence.

Their corpses were only found scattered across various cities half a year later. Such a colossal system, uprooted entirely, leaving no survivors.

That time, it was said to be punishment from the Mechanical Space, retribution from robots against humans who dared overstep their bounds.

That event deepened humanity's despair over their own fate. We are but fish on the chopping block. No one truly controls their destiny; living is just... existing.

This time, many had clearly seen the beam connecting to the Mechanical Space, followed by the Radiant Tower's collapse. The connection, even if unspoken, formed dark conclusions in countless minds.

Maya remained unconscious for a long time, entering a complete standby state devoid of all sensation—a first for her.

When awareness returned, she was surrounded by unfamiliar presences. Unlike the sterile, medicinal-smelling bed of the small clinic, the surface beneath her was incredibly soft, like lying on a bed of feathers. Nearby, a man's deliberately softened breaths reached her ears. Long fingers, calloused yet gentle, brushed down her cheek, tucking away stray strands of hair to make her look more presentable.

The warmth of that touch was comforting. Max's specific body temperature and tactile signature were meticulously recorded in her database. Just one touch identified him. *So they escaped the collapsed building. Good. He's alive.

Sensing Max's safety, a strange, unfamiliar feeling blossomed within Maya, spreading warmth and comfort through her limbs.

She couldn't quite discern whether helping Max was solely for continued research or to linger a moment longer in this peculiar sensation. She always felt this way when he treated her gently. Like trickling streams slowly gathering, destined one day to become a surging river.

Of course, it would be better if his gentleness extended to moments like when he'd grabbed her collar and flung her out the door.

"Four days now, Maya. When will you wake up?" Max murmured.

Maya thought, *Give me an energy crystal to eat, and I'll get right up.* Lying stiff like a corpse made her whole body ache. First, she needed to gather energy to move her limbs.

The mattress dipped as Max's broad frame slid in beside her. His strong arm draped lightly over her waist. Hair carrying a faint medicinal scent brushed her neck as he nestled against her shoulder. The strong, rhythmic beat of his heart seemed to pulse through his chest and into her arm.

"Little one, you know?" His voice was a soft whisper, close to her ear, like a murmur to himself or perhaps to her. "When you were just a drooling baby, barely the length of my arm, I held you like this to sleep. Back then, we had nowhere to go. Every night we hid in sewer outlets. Smelly, yes, but at least deserted. Safe. Sheltered from the wind and rain."

They were incredibly close. His voice was feather-light. "Your mother shielded you as you escaped. I arrived too late to save her, only in time to carry back a severely injured you. Because of that, you suffered illness for years... I've always carried that guilt. Since you were little, whatever you wanted, I tried my damnedest to get it. Didn't want you to worry about a thing. Back then, seeing you smile, seeing you content... it filled me with pride. Giving you shelter, just as your parents did for me."

He paused, lost in thought for a long moment before continuing. "I wanted to always stand behind you, be your lifelong support. Simply... as an elder brother..."

"But why is everything different since you returned?" Max's deep eyes churned with struggle and restraint. His fingers drifted to Maya's lips, tracing their soft curve with aching slowness. "You're still just a little girl... What am I thinking?"

Maya in repose looked serene, her usual detachment replaced by a soft, jade-like radiance. Her skin was smooth and fragrant, her lips tender and yielding. It reminded him of the hazy sensations in the rubble—the soft, wet warmth, the entwining of tongues, a heat like an inextinguishable flame threatening to melt him whole.

His grievously wounded body hadn't chilled then; it had burned. He'd almost wished to turn to ashes in that fire.

His gaze darkened further. Having never been with another woman, he hadn't imagined their taste could be so intoxicating, so unforgettable.