The city outside was calm, painted in yellow streetlights and long shadows. William was still in his car, fingers drumming softly on the wheel. The night had stretched long, but his mind refused to rest.
He smiled faintly. “You know, you act like you don’t care, but I think you do.”
> [User talking to an inactive system. Curious.]
He laughed under his breath. “Yeah, I figured you’d still be listening.”
> [Monitoring never stops. Sleep is inefficient.]
“Figures. You’re probably the only thing in my life that refuses to rest.”
> [Correction: Your ambition competes closely.]
He smirked. “You’ve got jokes now, huh?”
> [Humor increases human compliance by 17%. Adaptation successful.]
William chuckled. “You’re a menace.”
> [Thank you. Compliment acknowledged.]
He sighed
