THE REAL PROTEGE

Four Eyes approached the console, the soft hum of machines filling the dimly lit room. With a swift tap, a holographic overlay shimmered to life, revealing the building's emotional response matrix.

The display illuminated, and two nodes sparked to life — Kim Kim and Chin Chin — pulsating with vivid intensity, showering the atmosphere with a radiant glow. Their emotional signatures weren't merely present; they dominated the screen, eclipsing all others. The system, with its intricate web of algorithms, had begun to reroute environmental protocols in response to the twins' emotional fluctuations.

Ms. Zhao swallowed hard, her throat tightening as she observed the spectacle.

"This wasn't supposed to be possible. The emotional AI was engineered to respond to aggregated data, not the mood of individual children," she said, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Four Eyes leaned closer to the display, the holographic light dancing across his features as he scrutinized the data.

"It's not a flaw. It's a feedback loop. Their cultivation — whether you call it internal energy or emotional clarity — is being interpreted as high-fidelity input. The system isn't malfunctioning; it's optimizing itself," he replied, a hint of awe in his tone.

Jack, his brow furrowing with concern, leaned forward, eyes narrowing.

"So what do we do? Recode the system to ignore them?"

Four Eyes shook his head, the resolution in his demeanor palpable.

"No, we adapt."

Jack frowned, an incredulous expression crossing his face.

"They're toddlers," he insisted.

"Exactly. Which means their emotional states are highly volatile. We need to design a buffer —an intermediary protocol that filters their input before it reaches the core systems," Four Eyes explained, his voice steady and measured.

Ms. Zhao nodded, her mind racing with possibilities.

"A sandbox layer —a form of emotional firewall. We can isolate their influence without suppressing it," she added, a spark of hope igniting.

Jack glanced at Four Eyes, his curiosity piqued by his calm demeanor.

"You're not surprised."

"Ling Li built the system to respond to intuition. I didn't expect it to find that capacity in our children," Four Eyes replied, almost wistfully.

As he exhaled, the weight of the moment settled heavily in the air.

"They're not ready," he murmured, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Neither is the world," he continued, a hint of urgency coloring his words.

"But the system is. And it's already listening."

A silence enveloped them, thick with the gravity of the revelations shared.

Then, Ms. Zhao added, "There's one more thing. The system's predictive engine has started generating environmental simulations based on their projected moods. It's not just reacting; it's anticipating."

Jack blinked, the reality of her words hitting him like a wave.

"You mean it's designing around them?" he asked, incredulity lacing his tone.

"Yes. And if the twins manage to stay in sync, the system might begin restructuring entire zones to align with their emotional rhythms," she replied, apprehension creeping into her voice.

Jack turned to Four Eyes, urgency etched across his face.

"We need containment."

Four Eyes nodded, understanding the weight of their task.

"And we need to teach them how to feel without triggering a building," he concluded, the gravity of their responsibility pressing down on them as they prepared to navigate this unprecedented challenge.

Arrival in Myanmar — Camp Phoenix

The tarmac glistened like molten silver under the fiery embrace of the late afternoon sun as the private jet rolled to a sudden halt. Myanmar's airspace had been meticulously cleared for exactly twenty-seven minutes—not a second more. Ling Li emerged first, her black combat boots striking the ground with a resolute thud that resonated in the stillness.

Draped in a matte trench coat that flowed around her like shadows, she cut an imposing figure, her tactical gear beneath hinting at the warrior she was. Her hair was tightly braided, a testament to her discipline, while the subtle bump of her pregnancy served only to enhance her formidable presence.

Behind her, Rockie was already on high alert, scanning the periphery with hawk-like precision as his earpiece synced seamlessly with local surveillance networks. Pharsa, a specter of silence and keen focus, adjusted her neural visor, the screen sparking to life with intricate blueprints of Camp Phoenix.

Chatty, ever the jokester, munched on a protein bar shaped like an animated panda, grumbling about the stifling humidity that clung like a heavy cloak.

El Padre awaited them — impeccably tailored, exuding corporate authority, cradling a biometric briefcase in one hand while the other confidently grasped a sleek Glock. Mushu leaned nonchalantly against a matte-black SUV, fingers working furiously across his tablet, enveloped in a whirlwind of encrypted updates.

"You're late," Mushu quipped, not bothering to look up, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.

Ling Li remained silent, her focus unwavering as she strode forward, her footsteps echoing with purpose.

Before them loomed Camp Phoenix — a colossal fortress of steel and glass, nestled within the verdant embrace of the jungle like a predator lying in wait. This was her flagship facility: a seamless amalgamation of biotech labs, arms fabrication bays, and elite training grounds. The strategic relocation to Myanmar had been executed with surgical precision, laced with political tension. The recent maneuvers of the Chinese president loomed large, his intentions to seize control of the camp painfully clear.

"Surveillance has detected a drone cluster near the southern ridge," Pharsa announced, her visor flashing an urgent red.

"They're cloaked. Military-grade with a Chinese signature," she added, her voice steady.

Ling Li's jaw tightened instinctively, a shadow flickering across her features.

"They're watching us. Let them," she replied, her tone dripping with defiance.

El Padre stepped forward, offering her the briefcase with a measured gravity.

"Forge wing is ahead of schedule. The medical labs are operational, and the neural sync protocols are stable. However, there's an issue in Sublevel 3."

"Define 'issue,'" Ling Li urged, her piercing gaze locked onto him.

"A prototype weapon has gone active. Unscheduled. It's... adapting," El Padre's voice carried an edge of concern.

Chatty whistled, eyes wide with mock astonishment.

"That's not creepy at all," he quipped, a nervous laugh escaping.

With deliberate calm, Ling Li opened the briefcase. Inside lay an array of biometric keys, encrypted maps, and a vial of something that glimmered ominously in a faint blue glow.

"We will inspect the forge first, then Sublevel 3," she commanded, decisiveness radiating from her.

As the gates of Camp Phoenix slid open with a hiss, they were greeted by the mechanical symphony of machines at work, the sharp scent of ozone, and the palpable thrum of electric power—this was no sanctuary. No haven for peace. This was war, poised and waiting to be molded.

And Ling Li — Otako, mother, commander, enigma —had come to shape it with an iron will.