X didn't want to use harsh words to reprimand Hod. In reality, she needed a way to gently point out Hod's mistakes so she would truly accept them. Confronting a mistake required the right words, organizational tact, and fluid conversational skills.
Even though this was only their first meeting, Hod showed every sign of being the type to become easily infatuated, falling into a trap of self-satisfaction and shallow sentimentality. This type, in a certain sense, was far more troublesome than the Netzach type.
At first glance, she appeared weak and cute, but when agitated, the emptiness in her heart was exposed, and she might snap without warning. X had no desire to be bitten by Hod.
In short, it was time to take control.
Although X might not have been fully aware that her behavior could lead to misunderstandings, she lacked a clear conceptual grasp of that aspect. However, she was someone who valued results and efficiency, so she would use whatever worked.
Perhaps it was a cowardly trick, but it was effective. The method that worked on the AI Secretary applied to a Dean just the same.
Or maybe, if a trick could be used to tease Angela, there was no reason it wouldn't work on the naive Dean.
The innocent and shy Training Department Dean was suddenly pulled into X's arms. X leaned in close to Hod, whispering softly in her ear.
There was no other motive, simply that this was the most effective way to shift Hod's focus. It made her so nervous that she couldn't think properly, pulling her back from the empty world she had fallen into.
In other words, by using a gentle yet firm method, X infiltrated Hod's thoughts. The mind that had been filled with her own heavy emotions was now disturbed by other sensations, her focus shattered.
In such a state, X's words were even easier for Hod to accept, leading her to listen blindly without thinking.
"Hod? Don't be nervous. I won't blame you. I just don't want my lovely Dean to be taken advantage of by a cunning employee."
"She only cares about the enkephalin you gave her. Her eyes aren't even looking at you."
X gently patted Hod. Although under the influence of the cognition filter this looked like a 2D world, it did not hinder X's ability to use necessary body language.
"Maybe the situation with Tiffany is unclear to you. Her condition was truly terrible before. Now she is much better because I saved her."
But the situation remained grim. Hod still stubbornly believed she was saving the employee's life, completely unaware of what kind of consequences such actions would ultimately foster.
"Okay. Which department was that employee assigned to? The Safety Department. I will instruct Netzach to take care of her."
X started to say more but stopped. Hod still needed time before the truth and the results were revealed before her eyes.
If she continued on this topic without using harsh words, there was certainly no way to stop this kind of fantasy self-satisfaction.
X didn't want to hurt Hod the first time they met by attacking her enthusiasm. She decided to drop the subject for now. Moving to a more comfortable topic would make Hod even more willing to talk.
"Hod, you're very different from the other Deans I've met. I mean, you actually use the employees' names. Normally, everyone just shouts their numbers."
"Because I really care about them! Remembering everyone's name is the most basic thing. They are people, not machines. Each of them has their own name!"
Hod was a little uncomfortable against X's chest at first, embarrassed and not daring to raise her head. But after being held for a while, she gave up struggling and wrapped her arms around X as if seeking security.
Hod's eyes fell mostly on X's arm. The sleeves hid the skin, but the white wrist was still visible. If one looked closely, the faint traces of old scars, cut by sharp instruments and healed under the fabric, could still be seen.
Even though she was talking about employee matters, Hod's attention was fixated on X's body. She tried to emphasize her points like an uneasy person desperate for approval.
X's answer would make Hod feel secure. Her words could paralyze Hod's spirit more than any employee's compliments. Perhaps she was becoming infatuated.
The soft sound of X's voice was like a gentle breeze playing with willow branches, carrying a slight, numbing warmth.
"But that also puts a lot of pressure on you, Hod. Even when you don't want to smile, you maintain your spirit and force a smile for the employees. They might change every day, yet you still try to remember every single name."
"Don't let yourself get too tired, Hod."
"Even though as a Manager it's not good to want a Dean to be lazy, you look truly exhausted."
"Caring for employee health is important, but I think the Department Dean's health is more vital. You can say I'm being unfair. If those unstable employees cause a negative psychological impact on you, I will clean them up for you."
The warm words left Hod dazed, almost making her want to stop thinking entirely. In fact, she didn't even hear X's next words clearly. She only felt hot, as if there was a malfunction in the cooling system. It was very hot, extremely hot.
"Hod, Hod. Are you listening? Ah, are you too tired? If you're exhausted, I won't bother you anymore today. Have a good rest."
"Even though it's not very polite to say, Netzach's state of mind is worth learning. Sometimes it's okay to indulge your desires a little bit."
It wasn't until X was about to let go that Hod suddenly snapped back to consciousness. She unconsciously pulled at X's sleeve, not wanting her to leave.
After realizing what she was doing, Hod began to panic and quickly apologized.
"Sorry, Manager! I didn't mean it. Don't be angry with Hod. Can you forgive me?"
"Huh? Why should I be angry? I told you not to be so hasty, Dean Hod."
"In short, don't send too much enkephalin to employees. They are mostly seeking you out because of it. Too much will only hurt their work."
"That is all I wanted to discuss today. Tomorrow I can come over and accompany you after work, Hod."
"The Training Department has always provided psychological counseling for employees, but a Dean's psychological pressure is also great, right? Doctors cannot cure themselves."
"I just have a lot of free time. Don't mind it. If you have any comments, you can tell me. If you need me, I can accompany you more. Of course, you can go directly to the Manager's room to find me."
Although X felt that Hod was a bit strange, she didn't take the attitude to heart, simply thinking the Training Department Dean was being youthful.
After all, Hod looked like an immature young girl, and her mentality matched. Being influenced by employees and giving too much weight to unimportant things was very normal.
Even if it shouldn't be taken seriously, it was a certain kind of stubbornness, a feeling of owing something and repeating the same cycle to comfort herself.
The Corporation Department AI units were all more or less mentally ill, but Hod's behavior was quite serious. Similar to Netzach, it could greatly affect work matters.
Anyway, if an employee takes too much enkephalin, the possibility of a mistake increases sharply. Even if they survive the job this time, sooner or later, the pressure will cause them to die from self-destruction.
Even though there is mental corruption neutralizing gas in the break rooms, it doesn't change the fact that people will always die from the pressure. For example, an employee is a piece of paper, and the gas is an eraser.
When you draw or write on white paper and use an eraser later, no matter how hard you rub or how clean it looks, it will leave a trace. If you keep writing on that paper over and over again...
Eventually, the paper will be full of traces that can no longer be erased. It can only be crumpled, turned over, and thrown into the trash to be processed by the garbage disposal.
After meeting with Hod, X prepared to handle her own affairs. She went to the Safety Department to find Netzach and ask about the employee matter.
To be honest, she didn't want to bother various Deans every day looking for trouble. It was just that sometimes she needed to see them, confide in them, understand the situation, and build relationships.
Especially today, she had seen something she couldn't ignore. If things weren't handled well, an employee might be found defying orders and dead in some unknown corner by tomorrow morning.
X also didn't want the death of an employee to affect her job rating with Angela. Her completion level these past few days had been an S rating, the highest level of perfection! A small, insignificant employee could destroy everything.
Hod had a kind heart, or perhaps a soft one. It would be hard for her to see an employee killed on the spot. X still had to consider the Dean's feelings to some extent. Employees were just numbers and 2D puppets to her, but for the Dean, they were real people they interacted with day and night.
If X caused an employee's death right in front of her, it might hurt Hod. Because of this, X intended to handle it secretly.
The employee named Tiffany had been sent to the Safety Department, so she went there immediately. X figured it was better to talk to Netzach first. Netzach wouldn't care about that sort of thing.
The Department Dean clearly understood the difference between what was light and what was heavy. Damaged gears had to be cleared away before they caused more damage. Of course, handling it directly felt a bit too cruel, so X felt she should give the employee one last chance.
As long as the next task went without a hitch, this incident would be forgotten. But there would be no forgiveness for any future mistakes.
X silently thought it over as she pushed open the Safety Department office door. This time, Netzach wasn't slumped on the sofa drinking wine or consuming enkephalin. Instead, she sat upright, actually doing work.
Next to her briefcase sat a pink letter. It was being held down by other items, as if she was worried it might be blown away by the cold air from the air conditioner.
As soon as X entered, she saw it. She felt a little embarrassed, wondering how it had arrived so quickly. Netzach's productivity was surprisingly high today, which was unusual. She didn't even notice X entering, as if all her attention was locked on her work.
X had to wave her hand several times in front of Netzach's eyes. Only then did Netzach regain her composure. Her expression was panicked. She quickly covered the writing in front of her and hid it in a drawer.
"Ma... Manager? Why are you here?"
X didn't know why Netzach was in such a hurry. Normally she was careless, but now seeing X made her incredibly nervous. Her face was extremely pink, though X wasn't sure if it was from drinking or something else.
But X didn't pay attention to these minor details. Her thoughts were on the employee, not Netzach's strange movements.
"Netzach, are you even busier now? There's something I thought would bother you for a moment."
Golden eyes glanced at the documents on Netzach's table. There were traces of them. It seemed the paperwork was still being processed, though not yet finished.
"The Safety Department recently assigned a new employee named Tiffany."
The Corporation had many employees. X didn't usually remember their names, only their numbers. Saying the name out loud gave X a strange feeling. It felt like she hadn't done that in a very long time.
"Ah? It seems that did happen."
Netzach pulled a roster out of a drawer. At the top was the Subject Number, followed by the name, date of employment, and a note indicating which department they had transferred from.
"She only arrives at my place tomorrow. Manager, why are you looking for her? Or rather, what trouble is she causing?"
Netzach looked at X and suddenly became serious.
X was startled by Netzach's sudden shift in tone. She clasped her hands together in a pleading gesture.
"Nothing major. It's just that the employee recently had psychotherapy with Hod, but the effect wasn't great. Before the treatment ended, she was transferred to your department. Hod was worried she wouldn't be able to adapt to the new environment."
"If possible, Netzach, please keep an eye on Tiffany. She might be a little drug dependent. You understand, addiction reactions can be painful. I'll also watch the situation from my end. I'll leave it to you."
the words were gentle and flexible, inconsistent with X's occasional indifference. Their conflicting temperaments seemed to melt together within the same person.
X possessed a certain gentleness, even if it was unintentional. It was born from considering Hod's feelings. If Hod knew her former employee was about to be beaten to death in the Safety Department, she would be devastated.
Although Netzach was lazy, she saw things clearly. She knew the cruel truth of the company better than anyone. X felt that if she told Netzach the full truth about the employee's situation, the girl would likely be dealt with immediately.
Netzach wasn't the type to go out of her way to help employees. At most, she would offer a small sigh.
The Safety Department was a research department responsible for training new employees into security officers, conducting predictions, and preparing combat research for potential incidents. Obviously, an employee with poor mental health was a major risk.
It wasn't about reacting to problems, but stopping them before they could happen!
But X's graceful speech failed to persuade Netzach. Netzach knew exactly what Hod would do, and she knew exactly what kind of person Hod was.
Concerned about an employee's inability to adapt? Coming specifically to advise her? Really? A minor drug addiction and ineffective therapy?
Was the dose of enkephalin not enough to numb the nerves?
"Manager, are you taking on other people's problems without authorization? You know that kind of kindness is almost non-existent in the Corporation."
"The Corporation is so bad, so broken, that employees can only use drugs to survive the pressure."
"Manager, you should be familiar with this. There will only be more cases like this in the future, and even if you're here, nothing will change!"
Netzach's emotions suddenly flared. She looked as if she wanted to grab X's chest and pull her by the collar.
"Netzach, calm down. It's just an employee. If I can't even save an employee, how can I save you? Do you want me to watch you complain every day and do nothing?"
"No one just falls into a pit and then stays there because they're afraid of standing up. They don't just lie there and refuse to get up, do they?"
"Can there be a little change, Netzach? Is there truly not even a glimmer of hope in your eyes? When you squeeze yourself, it won't hurt. No, it won't, because it's me you're squeezing! Have you grabbed my collar enough yet?"
X had exhausted her patience. She didn't want to waste her breath any longer.
X's hand slapped Netzach's hand away from her collar. She then picked up a document from the table and smacked it against Netzach's head.
X angrily turned and left, refusing to say another word or look at Netzach again. The office door slammed shut with a heavy sound.
THUD!
For an AI, perhaps she couldn't even feel physical pain, but after being hit by X, Netzach suddenly felt a sharp sting. As X's back disappeared, she felt only emptiness and helplessness spreading through her heart. She felt lost, more uncomfortable than usual.
"I... I just don't want to see it..."
"This world of shit... kindness with no good return..."
Alcohol spilled across the table as bottle after bottle was opened.
BANG BANG BANG!