Thousands of Brilliant Stars: You Deserve the Best!-Chapter 221: Returning Despite the Risk

That night, the news reported two casualties. The first incident involved a woman being deliberately pushed into the middle of the road on New City Avenue, resulting in a severe car accident. However, after emergency treatment, the woman is now out of danger and recuperating in a hospital room.

According to police investigations, this incident has been classified as an attempted murder, with the woman being pushed into the road by none other than her ex-husband, who harbored murderous intent after their divorce and continued disputes.

However, in the second incident, the suspect, namely the woman’s ex-husband, was found dead in an alleyway with a knife wound that pierced his heart.

No fingerprints were found at the crime scene, nor any traces of human activity.

So, where did the suspect who killed the ex-husband go?

This case remains unsolved, a mystery under police investigation, hoping to uncover the truth and apprehend the perpetrator swiftly.

At this very moment, Iris Crawford was lying in bed, on IV drip and oxygen, her eyes tightly shut alongside Lachlan Wyatt.

Lachlan was the first to open his eyes.

He removed the oxygen mask from his face, took a deep breath, and then called out, "Number Nine?"

A shadow in a corner seemed to twist slightly, followed by a figure emerging from the shadows. Number Nine appeared in front of Lachlan.

"I’m here."

"Did you send Iris back?"

At that time, Lachlan was also recovering from his wounds. When he heard Iris had been in an accident, he panicked on the spot—an accident? How could there be an accident, especially with Number Nine by Iris’s side? With him there, how could Iris get into an accident?

James Chesterton retrieved the surveillance footage at the time, revealing the truth of Iris being pushed onto the road by Jordan Jacobs. Lachlan rose in fury, disregarding his own injured hand, eager to confront Jordan Jacobs.

"Calm down, Lachlan!" Martin Hawthorne stopped him, being the only one with enough physical strength to restrain Lachlan. He said, "Iris has already been brought to the hospital, calm down!"

"I killed him."

Lachlan’s eyes were red as he stared straight at Martin Hawthorne, "Martin Hawthorne, I’m going to kill Jordan Jacobs."

Hearing these words from Lachlan’s mouth, Martin Hawthorne knew he genuinely harbored murderous thoughts.

"Murder is illegal, murder is illegal."

Martin Hawthorne attempted to calm Lachlan down, "Don’t act on impulse. We have people looking for Jordan Jacobs right now; he won’t end well..."

But the next second, Elias Shaw’s call came through, "Lachlan, Jordan Jacobs is dead."

Jordan Jacobs is dead.

The moment after Lachlan declared he would kill Jordan Jacobs, Elias Shaw informed him that Jordan Jacobs was dead.

Lachlan couldn’t believe his ears, but everything that happened next exceeded his expectations. Police rushed in through the door, arresting Lachlan as the prime suspect.

"We investigated and found that, after Iris’s accident, you have the strongest motive for revenge against Jordan Jacobs," Elias Shaw’s voice continued from Lachlan’s phone. "So I’m sorry, Lachlan, we may have to restrict your freedom for now."

Lachlan did not speak, allowing the police to take him away. On the way out, nearby nurses whispered among themselves.

"No way, a murderer?"

"Is it real, someone so handsome being a murderer, who could have thought..."

"So terrifying, so twisted."

The news of Lachlan being detained was exaggerated and spread as a certainty of him being a murderer, with some newspapers publishing the news. Consequently, Hugh Wyatt’s company shares plummeted, facing a PR crisis from the murder scandal.

However, Lachlan was released just by midday.

When he emerged, Elias Shaw was at his side, "Sorry, you have an alibi."

"I understand, after all, I did have a murderous intent."

Lachlan’s eyes were like daggers, capable of piercing through a person instantaneously, "When I saw Iris being pushed into the road by Jordan Jacobs, all I could think of was his death. I’m not surprised you suspected me."

"I indeed considered you the prime suspect, but we haven’t found any other leads or determined who actually did it..."

Elias Shaw patted Lachlan’s shoulder, ushering him into a car, "I’m sorry for bringing you here amidst all the rumors outside."

"Let them talk." Lachlan didn’t blink, "I’m happy to see Wyatt Family’s stocks plummet."

"..." Elias Shaw finally understood the deep-seated resentment within Lachlan, heavier than the average person.

Thank goodness for Iris Crawford’s presence, repeatedly pulling him back from the brink of humanity.

With a sigh, Elias Shaw watched Lachlan leave. He was now cleared of suspicion, as he was at the hospital getting his wounds checked at the time of the crime, leaving him without the time to commit it.

Jordan Jacobs had been decisively killed, leaving the identity of the suspect unknown. Who knows how long it would take to solve the case and bring the real culprit to justice.

After a lengthy recollection, Lachlan looked at Number Nine with a suspicious gaze, "I heard Iris wasn’t brought in by you; you arrived at the hospital later. Where were you during the incident?"

Number Nine glanced at Lachlan, analyzing his emotions through his facial expressions during this time.

However, there was no solution.

Apart from Iris Crawford, no one could understand Lachlan’s thoughts.

Number Nine chose to be honest, "Indeed, it wasn’t me who brought her to the hospital, it was a passerby."

"Tell me, what were you doing during that time?"

Even lying on the hospital bed, Lachlan’s aura was intimidating, "Was Jordan Jacobs’s death related to you?"

Number Nine responded with silence.

In those few seconds of silence, Lachlan seemed to notice human emotions in Number Nine.

It was a robot he created, yet it seemed to possess human feelings.

Was it an illusion?

Or rather...

Number Nine finally spoke, "I killed him."

The weight lifted from Lachlan’s heart.

As expected.

"I guessed it was you." Lachlan gripped Number Nine’s wrist, "Why did you kill Jordan Jacobs? Do you know that such an action is illegal in the human world?"

"He hurt Iris Crawford."

Number Nine’s eyes were synthetic, making it hard to discern them at first glance, "So taking his life seemed quite normal."

Lachlan Wyatt was very conflicted inside, should he hand over Number Nine to Elias Shaw?

He was the last artificial intelligence robot in this world.

If given to Elias Shaw, the outcome would be destruction.

"Are you going to turn me over?"

Number Nine rolled up his hand, revealing a blade segment, "I’ve activated attack mode, using this to kill him, aimed at his heart."

"Emotionally, I feel like you’ve done well." Lachlan Wyatt spoke word by word, as if hating himself for not being the one who did it, "If it weren’t for you, it might have been me killing Jordan Jacobs now. But legally speaking... you deprived Jordan Jacobs of his life, it’s a very cruel thing."

"There is no cruelty in the world of robots."

Number Nine spoke about the matter with an overly numb tone, "He was the one who harmed Iris Crawford first, she survived only because her luck was strong, if I hadn’t killed him, Iris Crawford would have died, what would have happened then?"

What would have happened then.

Lachlan Wyatt was questioned by his own robot.

"I probably would be like you."

After a few seconds of silence in the room, Lachlan Wyatt let out a low laugh, "Even if I become a demon, lose my humanity, I’d personally destroy him."

"Yes."

Number Nine stood straight, "I am in alignment with your will."

Lachlan Wyatt reached out to cover his own face, his Adam’s apple moving up and down as if wanting to speak, but unable to.

Iris Crawford, I’m nearly unable to distinguish, between myself and Number Nine, which one is the robot, and which one is the human.

******

When Iris Crawford woke up, she received the news of Jordan Jacobs’ death, she was stunned for a long time, not saying a word.

Lachlan Wyatt thought she was overly saddened, but Iris Crawford, after returning to her senses, did not express any opinion. She hated Jordan Jacobs; in her heart, he should have died a thousand, ten thousand times.

Now it’s just... someone acting on behalf of heaven.

Iris Crawford took a breath, causing pain in the wound on her chest.

Lachlan Wyatt couldn’t bear to see her in such a scarred state, tormented and played by fate, Iris Crawford’s body was full of cracks now.

These were the marks of her biting her teeth to stay alive.

Everyone acted as if nothing had happened, Iris Crawford also pretended not to have heard the news, until a week later when people from the firm accompanied her downstairs to the hospital for a walk, she suddenly said.

"Jordan Jacobs is dead."

Delayed emotions surged up, as if she had just connected with the world’s cognition, she repeated, "Jordan Jacobs is dead."

Iris Crawford’s feelings were very complicated, not knowing why, as if, with Jordan Jacobs dead, the woman who loved him was also dead...

No one remembered her past.

The past Iris Crawford, along with Jordan Jacobs’ death, lost her vessel and disappeared completely.

"Yes."

Lachlan Wyatt, walking ahead, sensed Iris Crawford’s thoughts, he reached out, pulling her into his arms, "He’s dead. No one will choose to leave you in a kidnapping case anymore."

Number Nine was silent behind Iris Crawford, he thought, Iris, if you knew I was a Killing Machine, would you still be so calm and unharmed, keeping me by your side?

But here, Jordan Jacobs’ death was something that made onlookers feel relieved, while abroad, Jonas Kingsley received the news, only letting out a sarcastic laugh, "Useless waste!"

Hannah Lennox, beside him, dared not speak, looking at the news and feeling uneasy.

How did Jordan Jacobs just die like that...

Jonas Kingsley originally thought of using Jordan Jacobs to torment Iris Crawford further, now it’s finished, the pawn is gone, naturally Jonas Kingsley was angry.

"Dead is good, useless waste should die sooner."

Jonas Kingsley snapped, "Iris Crawford, oh Iris Crawford, your luck is big, everyone who opposes you ends badly, are you waiting for me to personally step onto the stage?"

Hannah Lennox was startled, "The Third Young Master, you’re not thinking of personally returning to the country..."

Having been protected by foreign forces to safely leave the country to escape pursuit, now returning for the sake of one Iris Crawford, putting oneself in such a dangerous place, is it really worth it?

Jonas Kingsley’s eyes were full of madness, "Keep going like this, Iris Crawford will only connect more closely with Lachlan Wyatt in more incidents..."

Continuing this way, even if he sells the chip to foreign forces, it will only make Iris Crawford and Lachlan Wyatt stand more on the same side.

He wants to destroy the chip Lachlan Wyatt developed, and even more so, the person in his heart—Iris Crawford.

So Jonas Kingsley glanced at Hannah Lennox, "Arrange the schedule for the next few days, I’m going back to the country. Remember, it must be discreet."

"We can enter the country via private plane."

Hannah Lennox seemed hesitant, "But The Third Young Master, don’t you think you’re acting differently than your usual cautious self?"

How could one take such a big risk for Iris Crawford?

Jonas Kingsley couldn’t bother with that anymore, only thinking of taking Iris Crawford away from Lachlan Wyatt, so despite Hannah Lennox’s advice, he acted recklessly. That night, a private plane quietly entered the country, landing on the suburban lawn.

At this moment, Iris Crawford was healing and calling Number Nine to her bedside, "Bring your head over here."

Number Nine said, "Why do you want my head?"

Iris Crawford said, "I want to see if your head and body can separate."

Number Nine observed the surroundings, scanning and finding no one nearby, he locked the door, and in front of Iris Crawford and Lachlan Wyatt, removed his own head.

Removed it, stepped forward, and placed it in Iris Crawford’s hands.

"With the correct technique, head and machine can separate." Number Nine’s mouth still speaking, "Look, isn’t it impressive."

After speaking, Number Nine gave a thumbs up to his own head, "Don’t underestimate artificial intelligence oh, isn’t artificial intelligence clever!"

Iris Crawford covered her eyes, "You should put your head back."

"Oh." Number Nine placed his head back, glancing at Lachlan Wyatt, "What kind of expression is that?"

Lachlan Wyatt wore a face full of sourness, saying, "Iris Crawford, you should live your days with Number Nine, I see Number Nine can really amuse you!"