Kingdom of Corrosion

Maya called Stone, Stone: "No response." An hour had passed.

Lin Wu said, "What do you think Shana is thinking about? Is she considering taking her own life, or is she thinking about survival?"

Maya answered, "Survival."

Lin Wu asked, "Why?"

Maya said, "Shana is a very proud person, and her clothes-making skills are arguably the only contribution she can make to the base. She wouldn’t allow herself to become useless. Plus, her will is quite strong; she’d likely work hard to find a way to save herself."

Lin Wu nodded and called out, "Wai, do you smell your cousin?"

Wai barked lightly twice, indicating no. It was then that Little Knife grasped the key point: "When you talk to Wai like that, does it understand you?"

Lin Wu said, "As long as the instructions are simple, it can understand."

Little Knife asked, "Then can you ask it: ’Do you smell Shana?’"

Lin Wu said, "That’s not possible, it’s still an electronic dog. Just as it responds when you call it Wai, it won’t react at all if you call it Zheng."