Chapter 4 Baisha City
The green small truck drove slowly through the empty road. Gradually, there were more buildings and more people around.
Zero got out of the car with his only luggage, and chose a random direction.
She waved her hand: "Thank you, enthusiastic robot, goodbye!" The
girl's figure disappeared, and gradually merged with the surrounding crowd. Behind him, the garden robot in the green uniform was still standing in place, and the two electronic eyes did not Know where to look.
Baisha City is a second-class livable city with dense urban population and moderate environmental pollution.
Different from the square yellow house of the Third Research Institute, the buildings in the urban area are basically white, with irregular geometric shapes on the surface, with large posters and advertisement projection screens hanging on the surface, and the characters above are all kinds of virtual idols.
"An acid-proof umbrella, corrosion-resistant, quick-drying, and quick-drying. Under the umbrella, you can still be graceful in sunny or rainy days!"
"High-quality sand-proof windows are safe and healthy, and my mother will no longer worry about sandstorms blowing into the house!"
Zero Looking at the advertisement with relish, a few minutes later, a virtual girl with white double ponytails appeared on the screen.
"Citizens, Xiaobai warmly reminds you to stay indoors and wait for rescue when you are in danger, close doors and windows to protect yourself, don't make noise, and don't go out casually~~"
"Alarm phone: 8888-123456.
" Hands stop: Danger...what do you mean.
earthquake? Dust storm? Strong acid rain?
In addition to the green trees on the roadside, the large white stairs are the architectural features of the city.
These giant steps only have a dozen steps, but they are dozens of meters wide, like a wide square. It is often seen near intersections and buildings.
Although these steps are flat and suitable for doing something, because of the scorching sun and the glare on the white steps, no one moves around.
Those piled up storefronts are like proliferating human tissue, rising to a dozen floors. There are amusement parks built in the sky, gyms suspended on transparent glass, and fast food shops that are only one square meter in the corners.
There was a long queue at the door of the shop, and poor office workers waited for a long time to squat for a cheap lunch.
Countless people dressed in odd shapes passed by Zero, some were transformed, there were robots, there were robots that looked like robots, and there were robots that looked like robots.
Compared with them, Zero, who is wearing an overly loose white coat and blue surgical mask, can no longer be normal.
Ling held the cardboard box and looked around, this crowded pedestrian street, the bizarre city, actually revealed such a strange combination everywhere.
--Highly developed technology, still traditional way of life.
Some people drink coffee in the sky garden, some buy brand-name nutritional supplements from vending machines on the street, and some crawl in the sewers.
She walked on the pedestrian street for a long time, and suddenly a single-family store appeared in front of her, with a gorgeous lintel, and there were drones flying around with electronic banners outside.
Ling squinted and looked at it. The banner read: "One-stop service for mechanical parts maintenance: cleaning, lubrication, paint touch-up, polishing, skin grafting !
"
From the pomp, you can see how rich and powerful this store is.
Several men came out of the store. They were all burly, tall and strong, and they wore black vests in the cold weather. The exposed shiny metal arms are as thick as zero thighs, and the arms are also printed with fine patterns, numbers, letters, and skulls, like trendy graffiti tattoos.
Zero Ghost made the gods take a step forward. There are still many people in the store consuming, and busy mechanical waiters come and go.
"Since using this lubricant, my joints have stopped rattling and stuck, and I have even run faster than the speed of sound!"
"The shop is now launching a new ladies manipulator with an exclusive luminous bow pattern, and it will flash in seven colors at night!"
Looking at the pink flash, the cardboard box in Zero's hand fell to the ground.
She looked at her shabby broomstick, and secretly made up her mind: getting out of extreme poverty starts with replacing new hardware!
In addition to mechanical prosthetics and accessories, the store also sells home robots.
In the cupboard against the glass wall, the robots with different models are standing quietly, some with spatulas and some with scissors.
"Security guards, chefs, babysitters, gardeners, tutors. Free your hands and leave these tasks to more professional people!"
"The new BK2000 all-round robot is now on the market!"
These robots are very beautiful, The whole body is painted in platinum, which is much more beautiful and advanced than those security robots and gardener robots. They even create human facial features, with artificial skin if desired.
--Of course, the price tag on the body is also very beautiful.
Zero was looking at the goods eagerly, clasping at the glass.
"Pfft--"
Suddenly, a face filled with water.
She turned her head slowly with a dark expression on her face.
"Hahahahahaha!" There was a burst of laughter not far away.
A group of just six or seven-year-old children, who have not yet undergone mechanical transformation, are holding colorful plastic water guns in their little hands, grimacing at her.
"Wandering auntie, stray auntie!"
"Slightly a little-"
"Hey, please apologize to me!" Zero waving his arms and rushed over, the children screamed and ran away.
Zero didn't chase after her, because they weren't the only one teasing her. The scavengers lying in the shade of the trees by the roadside, the robots distributing leaflets, and the dirty sanitation workers are all targeted by the children.
Fortunately, the water gun is not filled with any strange liquid.
The water dripped down her cheeks, and wiped it with her petty sleeves: "Forget it, don't bother with the bear children."
She picked up the cardboard box again and chose a random direction.
After Zero left, a male student who was working part-time in the store walked past the window and suddenly noticed something strange.
"Hey, why is the head tilted." The
row of new BK2000 robots, originally looking straight ahead, all turned their heads in the other direction.
As if looking at something.
Because she was inexplicably drenched in water, Zero's mood suddenly became very bad. She stepped on the protruding bricks on the ground, was incompetent and furious, followed the flow of people casually, her heart was empty, and she didn't know where she was going.
Just walking around, something strange happened around her.
For example, it was a green light one second ago, everyone passed, and when she was about to step on the sidewalk, it would turn into a red light in an instant.
She had no choice but to move forward in the direction of the green light.
Another example is that when you turn around a closed store, the original dark billboard will suddenly light up, forming a beating smiling face.
When I heard the sound of sirens on the road, a tall truck would always appear in the sky and parked beside her, blocking her firmly behind her. The patrolling police did not find her.
Walking through the alley, the old shop with the words "Recycle Second-hand Arms and Legs" scrolls, and the boss is knocking on the operating table with his head down.
But when Zero approached, the words on the LED screen turned into red heart arrows in an instant, and the boss under the screen didn't notice it at all.
Zero continued walking in the direction of the arrow, curious as to where the mysterious man was taking her.
She gradually moved away from the downtown area and came to the area where civilians lived. The buildings here are gray, and colorful small advertisements are posted on the walls, full of life. Pedestrians in ordinary clothes were walking on the road with packages, and walked into a small door with exhaustion.
No bright billboards, no high-tech glass covered bridges, they stay as if they are two worlds from the city center.
The tallest house here is only a dozen stories high, so you can clearly see the skyscrapers hundreds of meters high in the downtown area.
A yellow cartoon smiley face is now on the building's giant display.
"A new public service advertisement?"
"A little ugly."
Zero thought it was cute.
Not far away, a dilapidated robot is delivering red balloons by the roadside. Although it says free on its chest, not many children want it, and they all have more delicate toys.
The robot saw Zero and ran over with shaking arms. He picked out the reddest and roundest balloon and carefully handed it to her.
"Giving it to you, I wish you a good day."
Ling was stunned for a moment, and took the balloon rope with both hands.
"Thank you."
The surveillance camera on the street light captured this scene.
Through the Internet, the smile of the girl in the camera is also seen by the people behind the scenes.
An Ling stood in a pitch-dark environment with a giant light curtain in front of him. He closed his eyes, and the face that had been magnified countless times by the light curtain also disappeared.
This is his computer room, covering an area of at least a few hundred square meters, and the countless buzzing hosts are like brains thinking at a high speed, exuding extreme heat. If you look closely, you will find that although it is pitch black, there are lights flickering on the chassis.
Like a breath.
As the main AI of the federal national security system, Anling is almost omnipresent and omnipotent. He guards the country's top secrets, the state-owned banking system, major government office systems, and the defense system of the State Hall. He is in charge of the bright side and the dark side of the federal government.
But at this moment, he illegally manipulated road traffic, obtained surveillance, and changed the projection screen with his authority, and all he was watching was a female transformation person with a degree of mechanization of 20%.
She doesn't even have a proper identity or name.
But... An Ling looked at that pure smiling face, why would he want to protect her and look at her.
lie for her.
Even wanted to call her - mother.
Zero wandered aimlessly in the old city. There are either elderly people or poor people living here, and there are not many road surveillance cameras. The probability of her being caught by the Third Research Institute is much lower. No matter who that mysterious person is, the other party must be for her good.
It was getting dark, and the dusky sunset shone on the dirty walls.
Zero heard the rubbing of the plastic bag around the corner.
"Screw-" Beside the
trash can, a dilapidated housework robot was struggling to move forward with four or five large black plastic bags, and the garbage was almost bigger than its body.
Hearing the footsteps, the robot turned around and stared blankly at her with two round black eyes on its bald head.
It was tattered all over, older than the previous garden robot, and the steel body was originally painted in black and white butler clothes, but it was almost lost.
Although it was tattered, the old robot made a gentleman bow.
"Do you need help? The old city is not safe at night. There is a lack of patrolling security robots here. I can take you home.
"
Zero tentatively said, "Perhaps, do you know where you can spend the night nearby? I don't have any money."
It bent over: "If you don't dislike it, I can stay at my house tonight."
This time, it was stunned: "Your house?"
"Does your master mind strangers staying overnight?"
"My master is a Good man, he usually likes to help homeless people, and he doesn't mind. And he passed away three days ago. I cleaned the house today and sorted the garbage. Wait until tomorrow, the government will redistribute the ownership of the house , and recycle it again."
When he said this, his voice did not change, but Zero just felt that he felt the sadness in the robot's words.
Of course, few people care if the robot is sad.
"So, if it's just tonight, there should be no problem staying overnight. For a single woman like you, it would be very dangerous to wander outside at night. There are many criminals in the city who will rob the mechanical prosthesis." The robot tried to explain to her, "Please rest assured. , I have no malicious intentions."
In fact, the executive program written into the bottom layer of the federal robot cannot harm humans. Humans are far more terrifying than mechanical beings.
Zero shook her broomstick, "No one like me would rob it."
She looked at the robot's chest, "Your name is Sid?"
"Yes, that's my name."
It touched itself The three letters crooked on the iron sheet on the chest: Sid.
No matter how many scratches there are on the body, the traces of memory can never be erased.
Ling smiled: "Then I'll trouble you to lead the way."
Sid bowed and saluted: "It's my honor."
One person and one machine were walking on the road. .
Zero: "Why is your home being redistributed?"
"The owner has no children and no relatives, he is an orphan. According to Article 3, paragraph 7 of the Federal Civil Code, the property owned by a social person who has no descendants will be returned to after his death. Owned by the state, redistributed as a reward."
Zero was silent.
The love arrows along the way brought her here, and she met Sid who was here to take out the trash, who happened to have an empty house.
It's hard to believe this is a coincidence.
The two walked for about five minutes. Sid pointed to the two-story single-family cottage at the end of the intersection: "This is it. My master and I have lived here for 20 years. Maybe it's a little broken, please don't dislike it."
"Call me Zero . Come on."
Sid nodded meekly: "Follow your will, Zero." The
hut was neatly tidied up, and warm lights shone through the windows. There was an outdated mechanical corgi in the house. Hearing the movement, he dutifully came out to sniff the stranger, and after seeing Zero, he happily ran around her.
"This is the owner's pet dog, older than me, its name is Dongdong."
Sid took out clean slippers for her, "The master bedroom is on the first floor and the guest room is on the second floor, I suggest you stay in the guest room. , the bed there needs to be updated and softer."
Zero nodded, "Thank you."
She casually visited the room. The room was clean and warm, but if you look closely, you will find that the window frame is cracked, the glass is broken, and the ceiling is broken. Leaks, tables and chairs are lame, sofas are rotten, electrical appliances are broken.
The ambience is good, but there is little decent furniture.
It's almost a dilapidated house.
After brewing for a long time, he reluctantly said: "It's a very nice house. Sid, thank you and your master for your kindness." The
old robot housekeeper squatted on the ground and gently stroked Corgi's tin head: "I'm glad you like it. It is an honor for Dongdong and I to meet you before we are eliminated."
Zero looked back at it: "Obsolete?"
"I am the first-generation home robot, my model is BK100, and it has been in service for more than 20 years. The owner updated the system for me before he died, but the accessories are still getting old."
Zero took a look Sid's individual stats.
[Housekeeper Sid (Robot)]
1. HP: 150
2. Resistance: 70
3. Damage: 90
4. Level: Satellite
5. Equipment bar: 7/10
Finally, there is a value that is higher than her. exists.
It banged its head, and a screw fell out of its ear, which it put into its pocket.
"Zero, I, like Dongdong, belong to the obsolete products. When the house is redistributed, we will all be sent to the dismantling center after the arrival of the new owner, and we will usher in a new life."
When I go there, I will meet the owner, so I'm not afraid at all.
Dongdong: "Wow!"
Sid's round eyes looked at her: "Please rest, please tell me if you need it, I'll be downstairs."
"Good night."
Ling has been sent to the door of the bedroom, She looked at the old housekeeper and the mechanical corgi who were standing at the top of the stairs and did not come up.
"Sid, you are the most human-like robot I've ever seen."
Ling smiled and slowly closed the door.
All the goodwill she has received so far has come from robots, maybe she is very favored by robots?
Sid looked at her from behind, round eyes full of tenderness.
It looks like a wolf, but it looks like a flower in its eyes.
There is no more beautiful creature in the world than a mother.
The author has something to say:
Grandma Ling entered the Grand View Garden.
Zero: Sid, you are the most human-like robot I have ever seen.
That's because you haven't seen a good eldest yet.
----
(Although Zero has been locked up in the research institute for a long time, it does not mean that she is a blank sheet of paper. She has lived a normal life before, so she understands basic common sense)