Hearing Zane's witty reply to the third question, the little girl's eyes widened in amazement. There was clearly an excitement in her eyes.
"Wow… fascinating." Her voice carried genuine wonder. "No one has ever answered like that before. Not even the geniuses of Atlantis had such a perspective."
For the first time, her expression cycled rapidly—amazement, curiosity, delight. It wasn't a flat digital projection; it was emotion, vivid and alive.
Zane narrowed his eyes. He had been observing her closely from the start, and now the strangeness pressed on him. She was supposed to be a virtual avatar—a cybernetic interface. But what he was seeing… it was closer to a sentient being. Almost human.
The girl smiled sweetly, tilting her head.
"Since you gave me such a satisfying answer, I'll reward you. You may ask me three questions about Solaris City."
Zane's thoughts sharpened. He had plenty of doubts swirling in his mind ever since stepping through the gate. This was his chance.
