In the surveillance room, Shanshan was still flickering across one screen after another.
Charles's gaze, however, had shifted from the screens to Parker, who was standing beside him. With his burly frame, Parker stood ramrod straight, his brows deeply furrowed as he stared at the monitors. His weapon was positioned perfectly at his side, ready to be drawn at any sign of danger—he looked every bit the living embodiment of a soldier.
"Do you need anything?" Parker noticed Charles's gaze.
"Nothing. Just curious—are you married?" Charles asked, sounding casual, as if making small talk.
"On Island 68, every adult is assigned a spouse and is also assigned mandatory reproductive duties. I'm no exception."
Charles nodded in understanding. "Could you tell me about your wife? What's she like?"
Parker seemed reluctant to discuss such personal matters with Charles, but under orders from his comm, he began to talk about his private life.
