A grand, icy-cold elliptical structure seemed to float directly above the new world, shrouded in the gray haze of mist.
Soldiers patrolled in shifts from time to time, their movements uniform, their faces expressionless, and their eyes glowing with a faint blue light—none of them were human.
A middle-aged man in a suit hurried through several sensor-activated doors before finally stepping into a spacious hall.
The hall instantly lit up, and on the giant blue screen beside him, waveform lines resembling an electrocardiogram appeared, accompanied by rhythmic beeping sounds. To the right, a glass display case housed several motionless bodies. At the center of the hall stood a mechanical control platform, where a pulsating blue light mass rested. Two eye-like objects within it rolled eerily, making it an unsettling sight. On either side of the light mass were two massive mechanical arms, freely swaying as if stretching their joints.
“Supreme Leader, the information from Lin Qi’s chip has been extracted. The last recorded scene is quite interesting.”
The middle-aged man, Qin Hao, was the chief developer at Ladbrokes Technology, currently tasked with creating the most suitable body for the Supreme Leader. Unfortunately, they had yet to develop a body that could fully integrate with the Supreme Leader’s brain.
As Qin Hao’s voice fell, a hollow yet bright voice echoed through the blue hall. The massive mechanical arms twitched twice.
“Show me.”
Before long, a holographic screen displayed the scene preserved in Lin Qi’s chip.
Pointing at one of the figures in the projection, Qin Hao turned to the blue light mass and said, “Supreme Leader, this is a companion robot Eddie privately designed for a female lieutenant colonel. However, she died, and the robot later ended up with the Shen family. Based on previous data, it appears to have awakened self-awareness. Not only did it modify its own body, but it also infiltrated the Paradise just to rescue its former little master, Shen Wantong.”
“So?”
The Supreme Leader’s voice was raspy and aged, deep and hoarse. In the vast hall, it sounded particularly eerie and oppressive.
“Supreme Leader, I believe this body might be more suitable for you than any of these…”
Eddie had died long ago for refusing to participate in the Supreme Leader’s projects. Meanwhile, Qin Hao had discovered that Ladbrokes Technology could neither remotely control nor destroy that robot. This led him to suspect that the robot had truly developed self-awareness, or that Eddie had secretly embedded some unusual program.
“A self-aware robot? How interesting… Ladbrokes Technology can’t control it anymore?”
“We’ve tried contacting and tracking it, but to no avail. It is now completely beyond our control. However… it still recognizes that Shen family girl as its little master. If we send people to the Shen family now, we can surely capture it.”
“Then send someone to bring it back.”
Qin Hao hesitated. “But Supreme Leader, the Shen family is under heavy scrutiny due to the natural female incident. Countless eyes are watching them. If we act rashly, won’t it—”
“If it is a self-aware robot, what reason does Ladbrokes Technology need to reclaim it?”
The Supreme Leader’s voice carried a hint of impatience. The blue light mass bobbed up and down as the mechanical arms swung, sending a cold gust of wind across Qin Hao’s face.
Qin Hao shivered. He had grown accustomed to the Supreme Leader’s current state, but moments like these still sent chills down his spine. Those mechanical arms could end his life in an instant.
“Supreme Leader, that robot is extremely cunning and fiercely protective of its master. It reportedly even injured people at Paradise. I fear it will be difficult to retrieve it.”
“Then bring its little master back as well. If necessary, bring the entire Shen family.”
The Supreme Leader spoke each word slowly and deliberately. The waveform on the holographic ECG display fluctuated wildly.
Qin Hao remained uneasy, but at this moment, he could only nod.
Everyone knew that the Shen family’s natural female had yet to come of age, yet she was already under the scrutiny of the entire internet. Many powerful families wanted to claim her, elevating the Shen family to new heights.
Had he known earlier, he wouldn’t have mentioned this to the Supreme Leader. Now, he had just made things harder for himself.
In the following days, Wan Tong underwent several rounds of questioning and even appeared in the news. This inadvertently shielded the Shen family from some hidden threats.
When asked for information aboutParadise, Wan Tong feigned ignorance. The information leaked from Zhong Lele was similarly vague, suggesting Zhong Lele had no intention of making Paradise a scapegoat.
Wan Tong continued to send messages to M01 daily, sometimes even pestering him for video calls. Though he always maintained a cold expression, he never went as far as to block her.
Meanwhile, the children remained quietly stationed in Paradise. No one could break in, yet they made no move to slaughter anyone either.
This ran counter to the Supreme Leader’s plans. He would likely come up with a new plan soon.
“Eldest Brother, I’m going to sleep now. You should rest early too~”
Lying on her bed, Wan Tong waved at the projected figure in the air.
Almost the moment her voice fell, M01 cut off the communication, and his figure disappeared.
“Hmph, not even a goodnight…” Wan Tong pouted and tossed the communicator aside.
Just then, a green candy was placed in front of her. She opened her mouth and bit down on it.
Turning her head toward the bedside, she saw Ling Wu kneeling on one knee, his fingers still hovering in midair. His deep green pupils blinked lightly. “Goodnight, Tongtong.”
“What? You’re giving me candy along with a goodnight?” Wan Tong sat up helplessly, but she couldn’t bear to spit out the candy in her mouth.
Resources were indeed scarce in this era. She had already given away all her snacks, and since her parents didn’t dare to accept gifts from others, she had been craving something sweet for a long time.
“Tongtong wants to eat,” Lingwu replied softly.
Wan Tong patted the empty spot on her bed, signaling for him to come up.
Lingwu didn’t hesitate—he flipped onto the bed immediately.
“You sure are quick to take the hint,” Wan Tong teased, squinting at him with a smile.
Ling Wu’s gaze remained innocent. “Tongtong wants it.”
“…Hey, be clear with your words. I only asked you to sit for a while.”
“Mm, Tongtong wants me to come up and sit for a while.” Ling Wu carefully repeated the full sentence, his gaze always so deep and focused.
Wan Tong studied him in satisfaction. Looking at him like this, he seemed more like a cunning human than a robot.
She reached out her finger and poked his shoulder and chest a few times. His body even felt nice to the touch.
Ling Wu didn’t resist. He simply lowered his head slightly, his gaze following her fingertip as if analyzing the meaning behind her actions.
When her poking turned into gentle strokes, Ling Wu finally reached out, firmly grasping her wandering hand. Then, in a righteous tone, he declared, “Tongtong is underage. No touching.”
Wan Tong : “…” She was just curious about his body structure.
“Can you feel it?” she couldn’t help but ask.
Ling Wu nodded solemnly. “There are artificial nerves inside my body. Through the electrical sensory signals in my skin, I can feel it.”
Wan Tong awkwardly withdrew her hand. “Oh… so that’s how it works.”
Her gaze unconsciously drifted downward, landing on his pants. A certain thought popped into her mind—so does he have sensation all over his body?
Of course, she wouldn’t dare ask that out loud.
Normally, Ling Wu wouldn’t enter Wan Tong’s room at night, but recently, she had been keeping him inside. Tonight, she even let him onto her bed.
After rinsing her mouth briefly, Wan Tong lay back down and held Ling Wu’s hand as she fell asleep.
Ling Wu lay flat on his back, staring at the ceiling without blinking.
He didn’t need sleep or rest. Every night, he would listen to the sounds of everyone’s breathing and heartbeats while standing guard outside his little master’s door until morning.
Wan Tong was a restless sleeper. Before long, her arms and legs wrapped around Ling Wu, treating him like a body pillow.
It was his first time sleeping beside his master. In the darkness, he blinked once before quickly searching for relevant information.
Most of the results were useless, so he remained completely still.
When Wan Tong’s hand suddenly brushed against the firm muscles of his abdomen, a soft system alert sounded in his mind:
[Main function activating…]
[Tongtong is underage. Forcing main function shutdown.]
Both system messages were faint and didn’t wake Wan Tong.
To prevent a repeat of what just happened, Ling Wu shifted to the edge of the bed.
Around dawn, Wan Tong’s communicator suddenly rang.
Ling Wu answered it.
M01’s voice came through. “The Shen family is in danger.”
Ling Wu hadn’t planned on waking Wan Tong, but she had also heard Shishi’s alert, so she rubbed her eyes and sat up groggily.
The Supreme Leader had sent people to cause trouble.
“Xiaoxiao, notify Dad, Mom, and my Second Brother. Tell them to stay on guard.” Wan Tong lowered her hand while giving instructions.
Her voice transmitted through the communicator to M01, who spoke again a moment later. “There are soldiers and robots. Run.”
“Eldest Brother, it’s fine, I’ve already made preparations, so don’t worry,”
Wan Tong’s voice was light and cheerful.
M01 gave a slight snort, “I can’t be bothered.”
He said that, and then ended the communication.
Wan Tong chuckled, thinking that he was being hypocritical. It seemed he still had people watching the Shen family?
She blinked her dry eyes and stretched her arm towards the silent Ling Wu. “Ling Wu, let’s go fight.”
Ling Wu smiled slightly, bending down to pick her up and responded in a deep voice, “Alright.”
Once they went to the living room, Shen Ting and the others had already gotten up and put on their combat uniforms. Seeing Ling Wu carrying Wan Tong out, all three of them rushed forward, “Ling Wu, protect Tongtong, don’t come out.”
“Dad, Mom, Second Brother, Ling Wu is really strong, don’t worry,” Wan Tong reassured them.
There were some guards in the house, but they weren’t needed right now. Not long after, the door was forcibly opened, and a group of people suddenly stormed in, filling the hall in a dense crowd.
The leader was a frail-looking middle-aged man, dressed in a white uniform, not from the military, but likely from Ladbrokes Technology.
As expected, he glanced at Lingwu, then turned to Shen Guo, directly naming him and demanding to take Lingwu away, accusing him of having awakened his consciousness.
Shen Guo and Mu Rong were unaware of Lingwu’s exact situation. Upon hearing Qin Hao’s words, they were shocked, but upon scanning the men he had brought, they felt something was off.
Why would retrieving a conscious robot require such a grand show? And why choose this moment?
It felt suspicious.
“No one is taking Ling Wu away,” Wan Tong stared directly at Qin Hao. Naturally, this wasn’t in the plot, but the man in front of her should be Qin Hao, the one responsible for developing the Supreme Leader’s body. His sudden effort to take Ling Wu back—did he have his eyes on Ling Wu’s body?
Qin Hao also looked at Wan Tong. Although he had known what she looked like, seeing her being held so gently by Ling Wu made him hesitate to use violence against her.
“Little girl, don’t worry. After Uncle retrieves and processes it, Ling Wu will be returned to you. How about it?” His voice softened. If the Supreme Leader was really transplanted into this body, maybe he would even accept the girl.
“You have proof that Ling Wu has awakened his consciousness? Moreover, he hardly ever leaves the house, and has never harmed a human,” Shen Ting spoke up with caution.
“We’ve checked at headquarters. Ling Wu is out of control now, otherwise, I wouldn’t have brought so many people to handle it.”
“Who knows what you’re really up to?”
“Ling Wu is not only out of control but was also part of illegal research and sale. If this blows up, it won’t be good for the Shen family or our Ladbrokes Group. Colonel Shen, what do you think?”
“Tongtong is Ling Wu’s owner. If Tongtong says no, then it’s a no,” Shen Guo responded bluntly. He was already fed up with Qin Hao’s causing trouble in the middle of the night.
Qin Hao’s face darkened immediately. “Colonel Shen, are you refusing my offer?”
Shen Guo snorted coldly. Enraged, Qin Hao gave an order, and the people around him raised their weapons, but then all froze in place.
Among the newcomers, battle robots made up the majority, and now they seemed to be collectively under control. Suddenly, they subdued the soldiers. Qin Hao watched the scene, shivering in fear. He gave another command, but the situation didn’t change.
He slowly turned around and met a pair of dark green eyes. “It’s you…”
There had been cases before of robots awakening their consciousness and controlling their peers, but only one or two at a time. Now, however, about ten battle-grade robots were all controlled by Ling Wu?
Such robots could no longer be left alive!
Although Qin Hao was the developer, he was also the one most afraid of robots. The cold machines he worked with every day, once they gained life, became a terrifying existence to him.
“Wow, Ling Wu, you’re awesome!” Shen Ting couldn’t help but exclaim, rushing over to Wan Tong, holding her hand, and kissing it excitedly. “Tongtong is amazing too~~” You’ve done a great job with Lingwu! My little sister is awesome!
Ling Wu silently observed their interaction, lightly blinking his eyes.
Shen Guo and Mu Rong didn’t speak but looked very serious, unsure whether Ling Wu’s situation was good or bad.
Wan Tong, a little embarrassed by Shen Ting’s reaction, muttered, “This stupid Second Brother, can’t he act normal for once?”
She jumped down from Lingwu’s arms, successfully avoiding Shen Ting.
Ling Wu didn’t pay attention to the stunned Qin Hao but glanced at his empty arm before turning to Wan Tong. “What do you want to do, Tongtong?”
“Capture Qin Hao and send the others away,” Wan Tong slowly said, her gaze still fixed on Qin Hao.
Killing him would be of no use; the Supreme Leader would still send more people. However, Qin Hao would become their best hostage.
Qin Hao’s face changed drastically, but he found himself unable to struggle.
He had been so confident in his ability to take someone away, only to end up caught in the trap himself.
The Shen family quickly returned to a state of calm. What they didn’t know was that, as soon as all the soldiers had left the building, they were all eliminated by snipers.
Meanwhile, Wan Tong reported the current situation of Ling Wu to her family. Shen Guo and Mu Rong were somewhat worried. Robots with awakened consciousness were ultimately dangerous…
However, they didn’t say anything in front of Ling Wu. Now that Ling Wu had awakened, his learning ability had become even stronger, and without the constraints of robot ethics, he was far more dangerous than humans.
As Wan Tong led Ling Wu into the room, even Shen Guo and Mu Rong, not to mention Shen Ting, called out, “You can’t, sister!”
Wan Tong : “???”
Shen Ting swallowed nervously. “How about Ling Wu stays in the living room? You’re still a minor…”
Wan Tong fell silent, her gaze passing over the three worried faces. She spoke helplessly, “Do I look like someone who would do that? I promise, I won’t do anything ridiculous with Ling Wu…”
The three of them : “…Is that what we meant?”
But it seemed Wan Tong was right. While Ling Wu might kill, he wouldn’t have the same human needs. As a companion robot, there was a possibility that others might covet him…
*Bang,* the door was closed.
Shen Ting and his parents exchanged looks, remaining silent.
Finally, Shen Ting scratched the back of his head and said, “Dad, Mom, Ling Wu once sneaked into Paradise to find Little Sister. I think he won’t hurt her.”
Shen Guo and Mu Rong simply nodded solemnly, not saying anything further. There were more pressing matters for them to address.
Inside the room, Wan Tong yawned and happily told Ling Wu, “Ling Wu, you did great tonight.”
Ling Wu, hearing her praise, lowered his gaze and stared at her, suddenly extending his right hand in front of her. His eyes seemed to shine, as if waiting for something.
Wan Tong was stunned. “What’s wrong?”
Ling Wu tilted his head, his messy short black hair a little unkempt. His handsome face was pale, his green eyes deep and alluring, making it hard not to feel a flutter in the heart.
Wan Tong, still confused, took his hand and rubbed it against her cheek. “Ling Wu, why don’t you say something?”
Lingwu blinked slowly, bowed slightly, and two words slipped from his lips, “Kiss me.”
“…” Wan Tong froze. “This… isn’t it a bit inappropriate?”
She had just said she wouldn’t do anything to him, and now he was the one initiating?
But Ling Wu only followed orders and never asked for anything. It was rare for him to speak up, so should she fulfill his request?
She stood on tiptoe and placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth, then patted his shoulder. “Is that enough?”
She then turned around and lay down on the bed.
Ling Wu stood frozen in place, still in his slightly bent posture, his right hand still suspended in midair. His dark green eyes flickered a few times, a little stunned.
Shen Ting kissed Wan Tong’s hand.
Wan Tong kissed his lips.
rokumi’s note : I’ll be updating this novel everyday from now on.