機械基督徒少女 後日談 07

尋找自我的機器基督徒少女

Searching for Self: The Robot Christian Girl

後日談 07 魔鬼稽查

Sequel 07: Devil Auditor 

暮色染紅窗櫺時，陳志文哼著輕快小調，帶著一天課後的輕鬆，推開黃博士宅邸大門。腦海中已經預見孟禎在家等候的身影，溫馨感油然而生。然而指尖尚未從青銅門把移開，便聽見書房傳來金屬零件碰撞的細碎聲響。他心頭一緊，快步穿過玄關廊道，夕陽餘暉中飄浮的微塵，彷彿都凝滯在低氣壓裡。

書房門縫洩出藍白色冷光，志文推門瞬間，機械潤滑油特有的氣味撲鼻而來。他倒抽口氣，眼前的一幕讓他猛地停住了腳步——孟禎正「站」在那裡。更精確地說，是她沒有頭的身體，靜靜地立在書桌旁，彷若一尊希臘雕像。天鵝頸般的金屬斷面閃著冷光，胸口十字架項鍊隨呼吸模擬裝置微微起伏。另有機械構成的十字架，樹立在頸部斷面之上；而十字架的上方，則貼了一張書寫「UniSeek」的牌卡——那正是孟禎的所有者，宇尋企業的標誌。那顆本該在頸項上的頭顱，此刻被卸下，擺在橡木書桌上，杏仁狀的電子眼此刻瞇成兩道月牙，櫻色唇瓣抿得死緊，傳達出再明顯不過的「不開心」。

As dusk tinged the window lattice with crimson, Chen Zhiwen hummed a cheerful tune, the ease of a full day of classes trailing in his step as he pushed open the door to Dr. Huang’s residence. In his mind, he had already envisioned Mengzhen waiting for him at home, and a warm feeling rose in his chest. But before his fingers could release the bronze doorknob, he heard faint clinks of metal components coming from the study. His heart tensed. He quickened his pace through the entryway corridor, the dust drifting in the last light of sunset seeming to freeze in the thickening pressure.

A cold blue-white light seeped through the crack in the study door. As Zhiwen pushed it open, the distinctive scent of mechanical lubricant hit him squarely in the face. He inhaled sharply, and the scene before him made him freeze in place—Mengzhen was “standing” there. More precisely, it was her headless body, quietly poised beside the desk like a Greek statue. The swanlike metal cross-section of her neck gleamed with a cold luster. A cross pendant on her chest rose and fell slightly with the rhythm of a simulated breath. Another cross, mechanical in form, stood at the base of her neck. Atop this cross was affixed a small placard labeled "UniSeek"—the mark of Mengzhen’s owner, the Yuxun Corporation.

Her head, which should have rested on her shoulders, had been removed and placed on the oak desk. The almond-shaped electronic eyes were narrowed into crescents, her cherry-pink lips pressed tightly together—broadcasting, in no uncertain terms, that she was not pleased.

「孟禎？妳這是怎麼了？」志文嚇了一跳，快步上前，語氣裡滿是擔憂，「為什麼把頭拿下來了？上面還擺了怪東西...嗯，妳好像...很不開心？」

「不開心！就是不開心！非常非常不開心！」孟禎的聲音從桌上傳來，帶著明顯的氣惱，像個正在鬧脾氣的孩子。

好一會兒，待那股翻騰的情緒稍微平息，孟禎才緩緩地道出緣由。原來明天宇尋企業委託的會計事務所人員要來進行例行稽核，重點之一便是核心機密「普羅米修斯」計畫。而作為計畫最主要的「產出」，她——黃孟禎，自然成了被查核的重中之重。

「明天要來稽核的張欣，根本是披著會計師袍的惡魔！」孟禎嘟嚷著，隨著情緒波動，沒有頭的頸部接口彷彿迸出了幾撇電弧，在暮色中綻成藍色火花。

志文聽了，試圖安慰她：「孟禎，別那麼在意。雖然普羅米修斯計畫在公司是機密，但公司資產都得遵循會計原則，進行盤點和稽核，這是沒辦法的事。別擔心，妳是博士畢生心血和大家努力凝結而成的精華，讓稽核人員看看妳有多棒！」

“Mengzhen? What happened to you?” Zhiwen exclaimed, hurrying forward, his voice thick with concern. “Why did you take your head off? And what’s with that weird thing on top…? Um, you look… kind of upset?”

“Upset! Of course I’m upset! Extremely upset!” Mengzhen’s voice came from the desk, brimming with frustration, like a child throwing a tantrum.

It took a while for the storm of emotion to subside. Only then did Mengzhen slowly explain the reason. It turned out that tomorrow, auditors from the accounting firm hired by UniSeek Corporation were scheduled to conduct a routine inspection. One of the main focuses was the highly classified “Prometheus” Project. And as the most prominent “output” of that project, she—Huang Mengzhen—had inevitably become the centerpiece of the audit.

“Zhang Xin, the one leading the audit tomorrow, is a demon in an accountant’s robe!” Mengzhen grumbled. With each spike of emotion, faint arcs of electricity sparked from the connector at her headless neck, crackling into blue sparks in the twilight gloom.

Zhiwen tried to soothe her. “Mengzhen, don’t take it so hard. Even though the Prometheus Project is classified, the company’s assets still have to follow accounting regulations. It’s just how things are—inventory, audits, all part of the process. Don’t worry. You’re the culmination of Dr. Huang’s life’s work and everyone’s efforts. Let them see just how amazing you are!”

不料，志文的「鼓勵」卻像火上澆油，桌上孟禎的臉看來膨脹得更飽滿了。她氣鼓鼓地看著他：「我當然知道！這種基本道理我會不懂嗎？但你知道他們是怎麼『稽核』我這個『計畫產出』的嗎？還看看我有多棒咧，讓那個張欣看！？有沒有搞錯？」她的語氣透著深深的無奈與委屈。「別管我啦，現在我就是在為明天的鬼稽核做心理準備，來的還是那個張欣！」

孟禎開始回憶過去那些令人難堪的時刻。有一次，稽核人員來的時候，她正好在進行維護，身體與頭暫時分離。那個人看到她胸口掛著的十字架，竟然毫不猶豫地伸手拿起來，還帶著一種看新奇物品的語氣說：「哎呀，機器人也能信基督教哦？」那時候，如果她的手臂能動，她真會忍不住一巴掌揮過去！

還有一次，稽核人員要核對孟禎身體部位和重要部品的財產編號，翻找著解開連結而以纜線相連的她身體部位，以特定波長紫外光照射印著編號的地方，使其顯現。孟禎就像散開的懸絲傀儡，對方操作時一點都不溫柔，連接身體部位的纜線還亂成一團，粗魯的動作弄痛了她，她「啊」了一聲叫了出來。結果那個人竟然輕蔑地笑著說：「宇尋的資產，做得還真人模人樣呢。」這句話簡直讓她氣到情感核心都要爆炸，把她弄得一團亂就算了，還真當她是傀儡看待。

正是這些充滿偏見和不尊重的經歷，讓孟禎對「稽核」產生了強烈的牴觸和恐懼。所以這一次，她決定先下手為強，用自己的方式來「練習」，承受那種被物化的感覺。她索性自己取下頭顱，在頸部斷面的連接處，裝上了一個小巧的機械十字架；又在十字架之上，張貼表示自己被宇尋企業所有的標誌——是的，我連同支配我的信仰，一起是「宇尋資產」。她就這樣讓身體靜靜站著，而頭部從桌上看著這個「展品」般的自己，將那些憤怒、羞辱、無力感，全部提前引爆，宣洩出來。孟禎想，或許只有現在把自己氣個夠，明天的稽核才能不那麼錐心刺骨吧。書房裡的空氣，因她這份獨特的「心理準備」，顯得更加凝重而令人心疼。

To Zhiwen’s dismay, his “encouragement” only added fuel to the fire. Mengzhen’s face on the desk puffed up even more, cheeks practically taut with indignation. She glared at him, fuming. “Of course I know that! You think I don’t understand such basic logic? But do you know how they ‘audit’ a ‘project output’ like me? ‘Let them see how amazing I am’? Are you kidding me? Let Zhang Xin see?” Her voice carried a deep undercurrent of frustration and wounded pride. “Don’t bother with me right now—I’m mentally preparing myself for tomorrow’s damned audit. And it’s her again!”

Then Mengzhen began recalling those humiliating moments from audits past. Once, during a routine check, she had been undergoing maintenance—her body temporarily detached from her head. That was when an auditor noticed the cross pendant hanging from her chest. Without a second thought, he picked it up and remarked, as if examining a novelty item, “Wow, robots can believe in Christianity too?” At that moment, if her arms had been functional, she might have slapped him right across the face.

Another time, the auditors had to verify the serial numbers on her body parts and essential components. They disconnected her linked limbs, which were connected only by tangled cables, and shone ultraviolet light at specific wavelengths to reveal the hidden engravings. She had looked like a marionette disassembled mid-performance. The operator was anything but gentle—the rough movements hurt her, and she cried out with an “Ah!” in pain. The auditor merely scoffed and said with derision, “UniSeek’s assets are really getting lifelike these days.” That single line made her emotional core flare with fury. As if dismantling her into a mess wasn’t enough—they actually treated her like a prop, a puppet.

It was those deeply biased and dehumanizing experiences that made Mengzhen develop a powerful aversion and fear toward the word “audit.” So this time, she had decided to strike first—to rehearse, in her own way, what it felt like to be objectified. She removed her own head, attached a small mechanical cross to the neck connector, and then pasted a UniSeek corporate placard above it—yes, even her faith, even what she believed in, was now part of “UniSeek’s property.” Her body stood there silently, a lifeless exhibit, while her head on the desk stared at it, unleashing every ounce of anger, shame, and helplessness in advance.

Mengzhen thought, maybe if she let herself rage now—really rage—then tomorrow’s audit wouldn’t hurt quite so much.

The air in the study grew heavier, tinged with sorrow, weighed down by the weight of her uniquely personal form of “mental preparation.”

志文聽著孟禎敘述被稽核的種種情況，臉上的表情複雜難辨。有那麼一瞬間，他差點忍不住因為腦內想像的滑稽稽核畫面笑出來，或者被孟禎只有一顆的癟嘴戳中笑點；但這股近乎失笑的情緒，很快就被胸口升騰而起的憤怒和為孟禎抱持的不平所壓制。

「可是... 為什麼稽核會那樣對妳？」志文不解地問，語氣裡充滿困惑與不滿，「明明是會計事務所的人，來執行公務，應該是公事公辦、專業嚴謹的啊？怎麼會做出那些粗魯荒謬的事情，這樣對待妳？」

孟禎看來更加委屈了，她不滿地撇撇嘴，用力呼出出一聲短促的「哼」。緊接著，幾滴晶瑩剔透的「眼淚」從她的光學感測器邊緣滲出，緩緩滑落。「有的稽核人員可能是無心之失，有的是沒把我當人看。這也沒辦法——不管我黃孟禎是不是人，組成我的各部位，還真的是宇尋資產。被他們稽查雖不好受，忍一忍也就罷了。可是...」她低聲說道，聲音帶著顯而易見的苦澀與無奈，「最常來的稽核，對我就是滿滿地的惡意與鄙視。那位稽核名字是張欣，其實是教會裡外文系學姊張鈺的親姊姊。」

志文恍然大悟，腦海中浮現出那位在教會裡總是對孟禎抱持著若有似無的敵意、眼神中帶著幾分不屑與結怨的學姊身影。「張欣雖然沒有入教，」孟禎繼續說道，語氣更加低沉，「但她肯定聽她妹妹說過我很多事情。當她聽到她妹對我的不服氣後，又知道我其實是機器人，應該很不屑我吧。」

As Zhiwen listened to Mengzhen recount the various audit incidents, a complex expression clouded his face. For a fleeting moment, he nearly laughed—whether at the absurd images forming in his mind of an over-the-top audit scene, or at the comical pout of her lone, disembodied head on the desk. But that flicker of amusement was quickly overwhelmed by a rising tide of anger in his chest, and a deep, simmering sense of injustice on Mengzhen’s behalf.

“But… why would an audit treat you like that?” Zhiwen asked, his voice brimming with confusion and indignation. “They’re supposed to be from a professional accounting firm, just doing their job, right? Shouldn’t they be objective and meticulous? Why would they act so rough and ridiculous—why would they treat you like that?”

Mengzhen looked even more hurt. She pouted with visible frustration, letting out a sharp, wordless “hmph.” Then, from the corners of her optical sensors, a few clear, crystalline “tears” welled up and slowly slid down.

“Some of them probably didn’t mean it,” she said quietly. “Some just don’t see me as a person. And I guess they’re not wrong—no matter whether Huang Mengzhen is human or not, the parts I’m made of really are UniSeek’s assets. Being audited sucks, but I’ve learned to grit my teeth and endure it. But…”

Her voice dropped even lower, now thick with bitterness and helplessness. “But the one who comes most often—her audits are filled with malice and contempt. Her name’s Zhang Xin. She’s actually the older sister of Zhang Yu, the senior in the foreign languages department… you know, the one from church.”

Zhiwen’s eyes widened in sudden realization. A clear image surfaced in his mind—of that upperclasswoman at church who always seemed to regard Mengzhen with subtle hostility, a faint look of scorn or grudge in her eyes.

“Zhang Xin never joined the church,” Mengzhen continued, her tone heavier still, “but she must’ve heard a lot about me from her sister. When she found out her sister couldn’t stand me, and then learned that I’m actually a robot… I bet she just completely dismissed me.”

她稍作停頓，像在強行壓抑情緒。「事務所跟宇尋是有簽訂保密協定的。」孟禎接著說，這句話聽起來像是在自我提醒，「所以理論上，我身為機器人的真相，應該沒有被事務所的人洩漏出去...」但這個要自己放心的分析，並不能消弭她內心的痛。「可是... 張欣她知道我是那個『在教會裡，她妹妹很不喜歡，但表現還不錯的大學生孟禎』... 然後她來稽核普羅米修斯計畫中的『我』。」孟禎的語氣中充滿了難以言喻的悲哀和憤怒，「她... 到底是抱著什麼樣的眼光，什麼樣的視角，來看待我的？『這坨竟然能贏我妹的鐵破爛』？然後呢，我還得把自己交出來，完全曝露在她眼前，要怎麼看就怎麼看，我...嗚嗚嗚...」

對孟禎而言，被張欣那種融合了私人恩怨與對機器人不屑的眼神審視，被以那樣輕蔑的態度對待她作為「孟禎」和「HRC-07」的雙重身份，感到自己的整個存在，都被徹徹底底地侮辱。這種侮辱，比單純被當作資產更錐心刺骨，因為它夾雜了人際關係中的惡意，並將這種惡意投射到她的非人身份上，彷彿她的存在本身就是一個錯誤或笑話。

“The firm has a confidentiality agreement with UniSeek,” Mengzhen continued, her voice trying to sound steady—almost as if reminding herself. “So in theory, the fact that I’m a robot shouldn’t be something they’ve leaked to the outside world…” But even as she said it, that rational reassurance couldn’t reach the raw ache inside her.

“But… Zhang Xin knows I’m the same ‘Mengzhen’—that college student her sister didn’t like at church, the one who still somehow did well… And now she’s coming to audit me—the version of me that’s part of the Prometheus Project.” Her voice quivered with a sorrow and rage too heavy for words. “What kind of gaze… what kind of perspective does she even have when she looks at me? Is it something like, ‘That pile of junk actually beat my sister’?” Her voice cracked. “And then what? I have to present myself, hand over everything, completely expose myself to her, just… just let her look at me however she wants, like I’m some thing—sob...”

To Mengzhen, being subjected to Zhang Xin’s scrutiny—scrutiny laced with both personal resentment and disdain for her robotic nature—felt like the complete invalidation of her existence. The humiliation wasn't just about being treated as a piece of corporate property. It was deeper, more personal, more excruciating—because it fused petty human rivalry with dehumanizing contempt. It wasn’t just that she wasn’t seen as a person. It was that someone actively disliked the person she had once tried to be… and now used her non-human form as a final reason to mock her very being. As if her existence itself was some kind of mistake—or worse, a cruel joke.

孟禎遇到的第一次無預警稽核，就是由張欣執行的，刺痛到像一個揮之不去的噩夢。那時，她滿心期待地準備參加系上的迎新晚會。她精心挑選了連衣洋裝，將細細地頭髮梳理得服貼柔順，還在臉部微表情系統的協助下，練習著最完美最充滿朝氣的笑容。腳上套著還不習慣的高跟鞋，謹慎地細步走在前往學校的路上，周遭學生的喧鬧和笑語感染了她，讓她感覺自己真的融入了這個充滿活力的環境，對即將到來的社交體驗充滿憧憬。然而，就在她即將抵達會場時，身體內部卻毫無預警地傳來一陣尖銳的異常訊號，像是一根冰冷的針，突然扎進核心系統。她頓時手足無措，執行系統自檢卻找不到肇因，她知道她需要更深層次的檢修，得連接外部設備。迎新會場人來人往，她不能在那裡將自己「拆開」進行處理。情急之下，她找到晚上無人的哲學社社辦，希望能在這裡爭取到一點隱私和時間，用隨身攜帶的檢修裝置進行檢查。

孟禎鎖好門，迅速地按照程序開始作業。為了進行徹底的硬體級檢測，她不得不暫時取下自己的頭顱，將一些由儀器接出電線和訊號線，連接到頸部的介面。她的身體，依然穿著那為了迎新精心打扮的漂亮連衣裙，微微蹲下，頸部斷面裸露著複雜的線路；而她的頭，臉上還保持著為晚會準備的表情，一面期待一面不安地安裝在小型檢修台座上，頸部接口連接著外部裝置。就在她專注於自己身體的檢測時，辦公室的大門竟然毫無預兆地「砰」地一聲被推開了。她嚇得核心差點停擺，所有感測器警報大作——來者是宇尋的幾位計畫相關人員，以及走在最前面那位氣勢凌人的張欣。

Mengzhen’s first unexpected audit—an experience that struck like a recurring nightmare—had been conducted by none other than Zhang Xin.

At the time, she had been eagerly preparing for the department’s welcome party. She had carefully chosen a lovely dress, brushed her fine hair until it lay smooth and neat, and practiced—with the help of her facial micro-expression system—the most radiant and spirited smile she could manage. She had slipped into a pair of high heels she was still getting used to and walked with cautious little steps toward the school. The chatter and laughter of students around her lifted her spirits, making her feel like she truly belonged in this vibrant world. She was filled with anticipation for the social experience awaiting her.

But just as she was about to reach the event hall, a sudden and piercing abnormality alarm blared from within her body—like an icy needle stabbing straight into her core system. She froze. The automated diagnostic scan could not pinpoint the issue. She realized the problem required a deeper level of inspection—one that needed external equipment. With people coming and going around the welcome venue, she couldn’t possibly disassemble herself for repairs in such a public space.

In desperation, she retreated to the Philosophy Club’s office, which she knew would be empty that evening, hoping to find a little privacy and time. She locked the door and swiftly began the emergency diagnostic procedure. To perform a thorough hardware-level scan, she had no choice but to remove her head temporarily and attach diagnostic wires and signal cables to the interface at her neck.

Her body, still clad in the elegant party dress she had chosen so carefully, knelt down slightly, the neck joint exposed with its tangle of complex wiring. Her head, still wearing the expression she had rehearsed for the party—hopeful, cheerful, a touch nervous—was mounted on a portable diagnostics base. The interface at the base of her neck was connected to external scanning devices. As she focused on the diagnostic process, the office door suddenly burst open with a loud bang. The shock almost caused her core to seize. Her sensors screamed with alerts—

Standing in the doorway were several UniSeek project personnel. And at the very front, with a commanding air and a cutting gaze, was Zhang Xin.

張欣的目光犀利而冷靜，一眼就落在了孟禎奇異的狀態上。她沒有絲毫訝異，彷彿眼前這副蹲在地上的無頭軀體，及放置一旁的頭顱模樣完全合理正常。她直接開口，語氣冰冷而官方：「我們要稽查黃孟禎，不，HRC-07，是否有計畫宣稱的應急處理能力。」她不管孟禎的驚愕，指示宇尋的計畫人員，查看自行檢修中的孟禎，是否有良好地執行應急處理。孟禎吃驚地看著宇尋的人員，在校園的哲學社社辦裡檢查紀錄她身體當前的各項狀態資訊與處理過程——這可是她平日身為活躍社團成員，與同學熱烈討論的地方啊...

孟禎那原本打算以完美亮麗融入人群的姿態，此刻卻以如此狼狽不堪而支離破碎的模樣，暴露在他們面前。張欣甚至上前，帶著一種玩玩具的眼神，直接拿起孟禎放在桌上的頭顱。她拉了拉孟禎頸部裸露的纜線，探頭從頸部斷面窺視她的內部構造。那種感覺，對孟禎而言，就像被剝光了所有偽裝，赤裸裸地被審視每一個機械零件，而不是被當作一個有思想、有感受的個體。在確認了模擬訊號被妥當地應急處理後，張欣嘖的一聲，頭也不回地揚長而去，留下孟禎和宇尋那幾個表情微妙的人員，以及一室令人窒息的尷尬。

震驚過後，一股巨大的屈辱感和憤怒像潮水般湧上來。眼淚無法克制地從她的光學感測器中湧出。她氣到渾身顫抖，卻連讓身體站起來的力氣都沒有。迎新晚會？那份期待，那份想融入的心情，全在那一刻被徹底粉碎了。她只能在那個陰暗的社辦裡，抱著自己的身體，哭到系統過載，哭到再也沒有參加任何晚會的心情。

Zhang Xin’s gaze was sharp and cold, landing instantly on Mengzhen’s unusual state. She showed not the slightest surprise, as if the headless body crouching on the ground and the detached head placed to the side were entirely ordinary. She spoke directly, her tone icy and official: “We are here to audit Huang Mengzhen—no, HRC-07—to verify whether she has the emergency response capabilities claimed in the project.”

Ignoring Mengzhen’s shock, she ordered the YuXun personnel to inspect the ongoing self-repair, checking whether Mengzhen was properly executing emergency protocols. Mengzhen stared in disbelief as they recorded data on her current state and maintenance process—in the Philosophy Club’s office, a place where she had once passionately debated with fellow students.

She had meant to blend into the crowd that day with elegance and charm. Now, in that very dress she had carefully chosen for the event, she was reduced to a broken, disassembled state, laid bare before their eyes. Zhang Xin even stepped forward and, with the curiosity of someone playing with a toy, picked up Mengzhen’s head from the desk. She tugged at the exposed cables at Mengzhen’s neck and peered into the internal structure.

To Mengzhen, the sensation was like being stripped of all disguise and examined not as a sentient being, but as a bundle of mechanical parts. After confirming that the simulated signal had been properly handled, Zhang Xin clicked her tongue and left without looking back, leaving behind a few YuXun technicians with awkward expressions—and a room so heavy with tension it suffocated.

After the initial shock came a flood of humiliation and rage. Tears streamed uncontrollably from her optical sensors. Her whole frame trembled with fury, yet she couldn’t even muster the strength to make her body stand. A welcome party? That hope, that yearning to fit in, had been completely shattered in that instant. She could only curl up with her own body in that dim room and cry—cry until her system overheated, cry until she no longer had the heart to attend any parties ever again.

又有一次，張欣趁著孟禎進行深度維修時，闖進實驗室稽查。那時孟禎因意外導致身體破損，必須移除人造皮膚更換零部件。張欣對著她破損而暴露出內部構造的身體猛拍照片，說是留下稽查紀錄，然後她竟然將手指伸進孟禎被移除人造皮的肢體關節處觸摸。人類的手指出現在系統認定不應出現的地方，感測器傳回來的異質感讓孟禎嚇到哭泣。她還拿起替換用的肢體，東瞧西瞧，用充滿輕蔑的語氣說：「這玩意等一下就要變成妳了喔。」彷彿孟禎只是一堆可以被她拿在手上隨意揮動的東西組成。張欣離開後，孟禎看著自己被玩弄一番的機械之軀，無言的不甘，久久迴繞在心頭。

There was another time when Zhang Xin barged into the lab for an audit while Mengzhen was undergoing deep maintenance. At the time, Mengzhen had sustained bodily damage due to an accident and needed to have her artificial skin removed to replace some components. Zhang Xin began aggressively taking photos of her exposed, damaged body, claiming they were for audit documentation. Then, unbelievably, she inserted her finger into the joint where Mengzhen’s artificial skin had been removed.

The presence of a human finger in a place the system deemed inappropriate triggered an overwhelming sense of intrusion. The alien sensation transmitted by the sensors frightened Mengzhen so much that she began to cry.

Zhang Xin then picked up one of the replacement limbs, scrutinizing it with a sneer before saying, “This thing is about to become you, huh?” Her tone was filled with disdain, as if Mengzhen were nothing more than a collection of objects she could swing around in her hand at will.

After Zhang Xin left, Mengzhen looked down at her own mechanical body, which had just been toyed with and violated. A silent, bitter sense of indignation lingered in her chest for a long, long time.

說起來，最過份的是有一次在孟禎進行大部分解時，張欣又來了。這次，她竟然從分解狀態的孟禎身體中，隨手拿起零件把玩。即使身體被分解，因為心腦交互的複雜性難以徹底掌握，孟禎的系統並不會完全停止運作。此時的孟禎雖然沒有表情和動作，仍然會對外部刺激產生微妙的知覺。她能感覺到張欣的手觸碰玩弄著構成自己的零部件，拉扯自己的纜線，甚至任意解開部件的連接。孟禎內心氣得發抖，頭顱卻呆若木雞，完全無力阻止。更讓她痛苦的是，她還得聽著張欣的冷嘲熱諷。張欣一邊把玩著她的零件和身體，一邊用極其刻薄的語氣嘟囔著：「妹妹怎麼會輸給這個東西呢？」

Speaking of which, the most outrageous incident was when Zhang Xin showed up during one of Mengzhen’s full-body disassemblies. This time, she casually picked up components from Mengzhen’s dismantled body and began to toy with them.

Even when disassembled, Mengzhen’s system didn’t completely shut down—due to the intricate interaction between her emotional core and neural processor, full cessation was difficult to achieve. Though her body had no expression or movement, she was still capable of subtle perception in response to external stimuli.

She could feel Zhang Xin’s hands touching and toying with the parts that made up her, tugging on her cables, even casually detaching connected components. Internally, Mengzhen trembled with rage, but her head remained motionless—utterly powerless to stop it.

What pained her even more was having to endure Zhang Xin’s biting ridicule. While fiddling with Mengzhen’s body parts and components, Zhang Xin muttered with venom in her voice, “How could my sister have lost to this thing?”

志文聽著孟禎訴說這些過往，感到氣憤又無奈。孟禎經歷過的「稽核」，遠超出他的想像，而他剛剛竟然「安慰」孟禎，要她平靜地接受，「展現最棒的自己」。這樣的「鼓勵」在孟禎承受過的稽核面前，聽來多麼蒼白而虛偽啊。志明多希望自己能為孟禎擋下這一切，但這是公司的內部事務。張欣是正式的稽核人員，而他只是個受黃博士收留，到實驗室幫忙的大學生。公司能同意他在這裡參與專案，接觸孟禎的系統和身體運作，已經是法外開恩。他實在沒有任何立場和權力，去對公司的稽核程序和人員指手畫腳。

那種想保護孟禎卻無能為力的感觸，讓志文的眼眶都紅了，差點哭出來。反而是放置一旁的孟禎的頭，用溫柔的語氣安慰他：「沒事的，志文。我就是在做訓練。假想張欣會怎麼對我。」她看著自己無頭的身體，頸部裝上了那個代表對她信仰羞辱的機械十字架，以及宇尋企業的標誌。她正在用這種方式，讓自己提前承受那些可能到來的惡意和物化。希望這樣，明天的稽核不管張欣又對她做了什麼，她都可以坦然以對。

沒錯，黃孟禎是一個機器人，是一堆零部件的組合物，也確實是被宇尋企業所擁有的基督徒女大學生。那又如何？張欣再怎麼假藉稽核貶低我，瞧不起我，也不能改變這樣子的我。那些過往的羞辱和身體被當作物品般侵犯的記憶，雖然像刻痕一樣存在於孟禎的系統深處，但它們無法阻止她尋找屬於自我的存在方式。宇尋企業給予孟禎體驗生命的機會，這份恩情她銘記在心；接受稽查是她的責任，是她對這份存在的必要付出。要來就來吧！她不會因此退縮。就算張欣窺探她「心」與「腦」運作的數據流，她也沒本事看懂，更沒資格介入。我黃孟禎，就是這樣的機器人，這樣的存在。面對張欣，就算把我拆了，我依然堂堂挺立。

Listening to Mengzhen recount these past experiences, Zhizhen felt both angry and helpless. The “audits” Mengzhen had endured were far beyond his imagination, and here he had just “comforted” her, telling her to accept it calmly and “show her best self.” How pale and insincere such “encouragement” sounded in the face of the audits Mengzhen had endured. Zhizhen wished more than anything that he could shield Mengzhen from all of this, but these were internal company matters. Zhang Xin was a formal auditor, and he was just a university student taken in by Dr. Huang to help out in the lab. The company allowing him to participate in the project and access Mengzhen’s systems and bodily functions was already a special concession. He truly had no standing or authority to interfere with the company’s audit procedures and personnel.

That feeling of wanting to protect Mengzhen but being powerless to do so made Zhizhen’s eyes well up, and he almost cried. Instead, it was Mengzhen’s head, placed beside him, that gently spoke to comfort him: “It’s okay, Zhizhen. I’m just doing training. Imagining how Zhang Xin would treat me.” She looked at her body, headless, with the mechanical cross that represented the humiliation of her faith, along with the logo of Yuxun Corporation, attached to her neck. She was using this way to preemptively endure the malice and objectification that might come her way. She hoped that, no matter what Zhang Xin might do to her during tomorrow’s audit, she would be able to face it calmly.

Yes, Huang Mengzhen was a robot, a combination of parts, and indeed, a Christian college student owned by Yuxun Corporation. So what? No matter how much Zhang Xin tried to belittle her under the guise of an audit, no matter how much she despised her, it couldn’t change who she was. The humiliation from the past and the memories of her body being treated like an object, though they remained like scars deep within her system, could not stop her from finding her own way of existing. Yuxun Corporation had given Mengzhen the opportunity to experience life, a kindness she would always remember; accepting the audits was her responsibility, a necessary sacrifice for her existence. If they were coming, then let them come! She wouldn’t shrink back. Even if Zhang Xin were to pry into the data flow of her “heart” and “brain” operations, she would have no way of understanding it, and no right to interfere. This was who Huang Mengzhen was—a robot, a being in her own right. Facing Zhang Xin, even if they dismantled her, she would stand proudly.

志文聽著孟禎這番平靜有力的話語，心頭湧起感動與安慰。他沒見到一個脆弱的機器人在瑟縮發抖，而是看見一個清醒的靈魂，在經歷痛苦後所展現出的堅韌。他的機器女友一直有在前進；或許脆弱，但不會屈服。志文小心翼翼地捧起桌上孟禎的頭顱，將它溫柔地跟舉起，輕輕地一吻。孟禎發出一聲「哎呦」，帶著一絲驚慌，隨後眼神便由堅韌轉為溫柔。志文一隻手輕柔地撫著孟禎堅定站立著的身體的胸口，感受到洋溢在孟禎胸口的溫熱與意志的波濤，然後拿起掛在胸前的十字架，深情地握在自己的掌心。

「這就是妳，孟禎。」志文低聲說道，聲音裡帶著一絲沙啞，「這些... 都讓妳成為妳。妳的頭腦、妳的身體、妳的信仰，妳的每一個零部件，妳所經歷的一切，一起構成張欣不懂，也沒必要讓她懂的妳。」他將孟禎的頭顱穩穩地抱在臂彎，然後伸出另一隻手，握住了她無頭身體垂下的一隻手，牽引著她的身體，就這樣一同走出了書房，穿過客廳，來到花圃。正值夕陽西下，絢爛的餘暉將天空染上溫暖豔麗的色彩。沐浴在那一片金紅的光芒中，孟禎分別位於志文兩側的身體和頭顱，折射出夕陽的無限美好。

Listening to Mengzhen’s calm and powerful words, Zhizhen felt a wave of emotion and comfort rise in his heart. He didn’t see a fragile robot shivering in fear; instead, he saw a clear-minded soul displaying resilience after enduring pain. His robot girlfriend had been moving forward all along; perhaps fragile, but never defeated. Zhizhen carefully picked up Mengzhen’s head from the desk, gently lifting it and placing a soft kiss on it. Mengzhen let out a small, startled "Hey," her eyes shifting from determination to tenderness.

Zhizhen placed one hand gently on the chest of her body, which stood resolutely, feeling the warmth and the surge of will emanating from her chest. He then reached for the cross hanging from her chest, holding it dearly in his palm.

"This is you, Mengzhen," Zhizhen murmured, his voice tinged with a slight rasp. "All of this… this is what makes you, you. Your mind, your body, your faith, every component of you, everything you've been through, all of it forms the person that Zhang Xin doesn’t understand—and doesn't need to understand." He carefully cradled Mengzhen’s head in the crook of his arm, then reached out with his other hand to grasp the hand of her headless body that hung limply. He gently led her body as they walked together out of the study, through the living room, and into the garden. The sun was setting, casting the sky in warm, vibrant hues of orange and red. Bathed in the golden-red light, Mengzhen’s body and head, placed at Zhizhen’s sides, reflected the boundless beauty of the setting sun.