The morning in the cold cell began unusually warm and quiet. Jin woke up resting on Julia's lap. She was running her gentle fingers through his hair, studying his features and thinking about how much this man had suffered for her. Jin opened his eyes with a genuine smile on his lips. Even though they were certain their end was near, and that this "bloody love" was heading toward a tragic conclusion, it still felt like the best possible ending as long as he could take his last breath in his lover's arms.
Jin sat up slowly, hugged Julia tightly, and whispered passionately in her ear, "I love you, blondie." Julia laughed sincerely and hugged him back, completely unaware of the eyes watching their every move.
Behind the cameras in the control room, Zoro watched the scene with an expressionless face. His mind coldly analyzed the situation; erasing Jin's memory hadn't worked. This love had seeped into his veins, overriding his programming. Zoro realized the only solution was to make Jin hate her as much as he loved her. Rolling his signature dice between his fingers and playing with his favorite chess piece, Zoro opened his unique silver screen. He clicked on the soldier options, navigated to the list of top-ranking female soldiers, and selected a specific name: Caroline.
Minutes later, the door to Zoro's office opened, and a girl with an overwhelming presence walked in. She had fiery red hair, piercing brown eyes, pale white skin, and a slender, athletic figure that highlighted her high physical fitness. Caroline was breathtakingly beautiful, but more importantly, she was incredibly cunning; her intelligence was vast, and her moves were calculated. She bowed to Zoro respectfully, then raised her head, looking him dead in the eye.
Zoro asked her in a testing tone, "How is the Western Sector faring under you?"
Caroline replied with boldness and confidence, "How else would it be with Caroline in charge, sir? Have you forgotten my strength and cunning? Everything is fine and fully under control."
Zoro calmly dropped his bombshell: "You are now of legal marriage age in the Kingdom of Darkness. To preserve a bloodline that serves the chip and the Central System, I have found a suitable match for you." Zoro smiled, his golden eyes gleaming with a terrifying glint.
Caroline took a small step back, but quickly regained her composure and replied confidently, "As you command, sir."
Zoro continued, "Jin needs a wife and children now. He has grown up and must start a family. I want to invest in his bloodline; he is a good asset, and all his descendants will be submissive and exceptional, just like him."
Meanwhile, in the cell, Julia was sleeping peacefully on Jin's chest while he played with her soft golden hair. Suddenly, the cell door burst open, and Caroline walked in with strict military steps.
"Jin, get ready. You are being taken out," Caroline said coldly.
Jin stood up, startled by the intrusion, and replied rigidly, "I don't want to."
Caroline opened the inner cell gate, grabbed his hand tightly, and snapped, "These are the Commander's orders! Isn't your rebellion enough? Have you forgotten what Zoro did for you? If it weren't for him, you'd be a bastard in the trash right now!"
Jin was furious. He raised his hand and grabbed her by the throat. But before things escalated, the guards intervened and took him by force, dragging him through the corridors until they threw him at Zoro's feet.
Jin hit the ground, but he lifted his head and glared defiantly at Zoro. "I've decided to choose her! I am withdrawing from this system. I want to be human, to feel warmth. I want a family, a home, and children."
Zoro interrupted him with an unexpectedly calm tone: "As you wish... but on one condition. You must remain in the service of the Central System without a single mistake or failure. Only then will I allow you to start a family with her."
Jin was stunned by this decision. He wondered to himself: Why all this kindness and understanding? I'm not used to him being like this. He has always been controlling, and no word ever overrules his.
As if reading his mind, Zoro said in a fake fatherly tone, "Because I didn't give up on you. I raised you like my own son. I saved you from the rebels who wanted to kill you, brought you to the City of Safety, and provided you with full care. I may not be your biological father... but you are like a son to me."
In that moment, Jin felt a strange sensation, as if a wall of ice had shattered inside him. He felt an urge to hug him, feeling as though, for the first time, he had real value in this robotic world.
At the same time, Zoro sent Mika to Julia's cell. Julia was anxiously waiting for Jin's return after he was summoned. She asked eagerly, "What happened to Jin? Is he okay?"
Mika replied with a malicious smile, "He is fine now... and he's currently busy with someone else." Then she turned around and left.
Those words left Julia in deadly confusion. Busy with someone else? Who could he be with?
Back in Zoro's office, the Commander delivered his final verdict: "You wanted a family... Let your fiancée come in."
Caroline stepped forward confidently, looking like a princess. Zoro stood up, announcing, "I have decided to publicly marry you to Lady Caroline, Inspector Number Three."
Jin looked at her in shock and disbelief. "Me... with Caroline?"
Zoro said, "I have been planning this marriage for months, and the opportunity has finally arrived."
Jin was furious and yelled, "I meant a family and marriage with Julia! I want her to be my other half, not Caroline!"
Zoro leaned toward him and said in a cold, blackmailing tone, "If you want Julia to be safe, agree to this marriage, and I will personally protect her."
Zoro played with Jin's mind masterfully, spinning a web of false promises around him that made Jin submit and believe him against his own will. Zoro decided to gather the soldiers and everyone in the capital to hold a formal, public wedding.
When Kyle heard the news, he nearly died of jealousy. He had been planning to claim Caroline for himself. In his eyes, she was the perfect wife for him—cunning, resourceful, and matching his own malice. Meanwhile, Dr. Aris was completely helpless. He attended the wedding like the rest of the city's residents. To him, it was a marriage on paper only, as he knew for a fact there was a hidden motive behind it, and he strongly doubted Zoro's promises to Jin.
The preparations took place while Jin's heart and mind were locked in the cell with Julia. Zoro didn't even allow him to check on her or tell her the truth behind this charade.
On the day of the wedding, Kyle approached Julia's cell with the stealth of a fox. He opened the door and said sarcastically, "Today, I'm setting you free, you fool."
Julia walked through the corridors, amazed by the drastic change. In the City of Darkness, weddings of the elite had different rituals. The black iron had turned into bright white, and the soldiers wore white armor in celebration. Julia wondered in confusion, "What is going on? What happened here?"
Kyle gloated with a laugh, "The unexpected happened. The lover you were willing to sacrifice your life for just got married."
Julia ignored his toxic words. She was absolutely certain of Jin's feelings, and the mere thought of his betrayal was impossible to her.
But... upon reaching the central square to board the vehicle and return to her village, she saw a devastating sight.
Jin... holding the hand of a beautiful girl. It was the same soldier who had taken him from the cell. Zoro stood before them, officially declaring them husband and wife in front of the crowd.
At that moment, the sparkle in Julia's blue eyes faded. She collapsed, falling hard to the ground, feeling that everything she had lived through and all her sacrifices were just illusions in a terrifying nightmare. Dr. Aris ran over to help her up, but she weakly pushed him away, completely broken.
Jin turned around, and his eyes fell on her lying on the ground. He choked, feeling as if a dagger had been plunged into his chest. His emotional monitor spiked dangerously, and his heart raced to the point of pain. He looked at Zoro, remembering the pact between them and that Julia's life depended on this very moment. To secure her escape from this world dominated by machines and microchips, he had no choice but to see the act through.
Jin spoke in a hoarse voice, "I agree to the marriage."
Caroline steadily followed, "I agree."
Julia stood up, dragging her disappointment behind her, and got into the vehicle driven by Kyle. As Zoro handed the marriage certificate to Jin, Jin kept his eyes fixed on the sky, watching her vehicle leave instead of taking the document.
Inside the vehicle, shock had completely paralyzed Julia. She didn't cry; in moments of the greatest pain, humans go into shock, stay silent, and their tears freeze.
Kyle broke the silence with a cruel tone: "You were just a tool for Jin to prove his loyalty to Zoro. He proved to them that no girl can influence him; he is devoted to the system."
At those fatal words, the dam broke. Julia burst into bitter, agonizing tears. While she wept brokenly, Kyle laughed at her crying. With a cold question and a sudden movement, he grabbed her face tightly, bringing her tear-stained face close to his, and said with eyes gleaming with malice: "I don't blame Jin for this love, or for this painful fall... You really are beautiful and attractive."
She pushed him away in disgust, but he grabbed her again with even more force, whispering words that changed the course of her destiny: "Do you want to join me... to bring Zoro down from the throne and get revenge on Jin?" h