Because Wen Bai was communicating with System 001.
System 001 began to confidently offer Wen Bai advice: "Host, as per usual, you must agree. But don't agree too readily; you must agree reluctantly. This way, it will make the other party feel guilty. Later, if something happens, not only will they not become our enemy, but they might even help us."
Wen Bai found this sensible and decisively adopted the strategy.
When it came to reading people, Wen Bai's weakness had been thoroughly proven by System 001 in the previous world.
Wen Bai stated, "I understand."
Then, Wen Bai turned to Wen Ziyue and said, "I'll reluctantly agree."
System 001: "..."
It had ultimately overestimated the host. It naively thought the host had grown and learned subtlety.
However, even with this, the course of events was proceeding according to System 001's plan.
Wen Ziyue was highly perceptive. He avoided Wen Bai's gaze and made a promise: "No matter what, I owe you one."
The objective achieved, Wen Bai felt satisfied.
However, even though Wen Bai had agreed, Wen Ziyue still showed no signs of leaving.
Wen Bai glanced at him curiously, his gaze clearly indicating his question.
Wen Ziyue coughed lightly, his face thick with audacity, determined to completely dissolve the engagement today: "Since you also agree, why don't you call Mom and Dad right now and tell them first?"
He posed this question with the air of a statement.
Wen Bai didn't mind and made a call to Wen Ziyue's parents right in front of him.
Initially, Wen Ziyue's parents didn't believe it. Wen Ziyue's father, in a deep voice over the phone, directly asked if Wen Ziyue was trying to break the engagement and use Wen Bai as a shield.
System 001 glanced at Wen Ziyue. "Knowing your son is one thing, but knowing your father is another. No wonder you wanted the host to make this call."
With Wen Bai's direct explanation, although Wen Ziyue's parents were reluctant, they respected their child's decision as he had grown up and had his own ideas.
After Wen Bai's call, the matter was settled.
Only then did Wen Ziyue stand up: "I will announce the dissolution of our engagement soon. Of course, you can also make the announcement. If you have any thoughts, feel free to voice them."
Wen Bai found it troublesome: "You handle it."
Seeing Wen Bai's response, Wen Ziyue felt a complex mix of emotions.
Based on his understanding of Wen Bai, he expected Wen Bai to make many demands that would cross his boundaries, but the other party had no requests at all.
The dissolution of the engagement proceeded so smoothly that he could hardly believe it.
That evening.
Wen Bai found that the dishes served were much richer.
This wasn't to say the usual meals were not abundant, but this was even more so.
For the first time, Wen Bai regretted not finishing his meal.
He looked silently at the remaining food on the table, patting his full stomach.
He really couldn't eat anymore. 575 had not managed his appetite well this time.
Just as Wen Bai was contemplating whether to sit for a while and let his food digest before finishing the rest,
The next second, Wen Bai saw 575 clearing away the leftover dishes from the table.
As if knowing what Wen Bai was thinking, the remaining dishes were carefully packed by 575 into clean plates and sealed.
Wen Bai was then satisfied.
Later that night, while the person and the robot were watching television, Wen Bai was about to have some fruit wine.
System 001 immediately intervened: "Host, drinking can lead to mistakes. Look at how many out-of-control robots are attacking humans recently; it's best to remain vigilant at all times."
Wen Bai felt System 001 made a valid point.
Although the fruit wine was delicious, he would fall asleep quickly after drinking it and sleep soundly until morning. This was indeed not ideal.
Today had been tiring, and after watching some television, Wen Bai felt sleepy.
After Wen Bai fell asleep, 575 did not linger in Wen Bai's room. Instead, it returned downstairs to continue watching the television drama it hadn't finished.
It needed to understand humans better.
This time, the plot of the drama centered on a woman abandoned at the wedding altar.
This woman, still in love with the man, secretly followed him, only to discover he had fallen for someone else due to misplaced affections. Subsequently, the woman, filled with hatred, committed suicide.
Of course, she was the second female lead, and the man naturally loved the first female lead.
However, this man was not the protagonist either; he was destined to be a supporting character, a cannon fodder.
575 sat on the sofa, its blue eyes fixed on the television screen, utterly engrossed. The melodramatic plot left it stunned.
-
Wen Ziyue acted swiftly and announced the news of his and Wen Bai's engagement dissolution to a small circle the very next day.
This small circle naturally included some internal personnel at the Robot Research Center, effectively covering the entire center.
Wen Ziyue, radiating with joy, prepared to embark on his first romance.
He brought gifts and went alone to the Robot Research Center to pursue the woman he had taken a liking to.
Today, Wen Bai also arrived at the Robot Research Center with 575.
Wen Bai had a specific purpose today. Gou Zhe was still filming, and Gou Zhe's teammates were now under his control.
Wen Bai now needed to know the extent of the female lead's progress.
System 001 was ready.
The female lead trusted no one, and all her achievements were stored in an electronic wristwatch she wore.
As long as Wen Bai got close to the female lead, it could directly copy all the data from her person.
However, it seemed Wen Bai had arrived at an inconvenient time.
Just as Wen Bai reached Ren Liuliu's laboratory, he saw Wen Ziyue approaching from another direction.
Now.
The news of Wen Bai and Wen Ziyue's broken engagement was common knowledge throughout the Robot Research Center.
It was currently working hours, and all researchers were at their posts.
Naturally, some people deliberately walked past, pretending to be engrossed in their work or engaged in hushed conversations, eager to witness the scene up close.
Upon seeing the two meet after their engagement was broken, some were curious.
Others directly assumed that Wen Bai must be feeling very embarrassed in such a situation.
Enjoying the spectacle of those in high positions falling, almost everyone was delighted.
At this moment, Wen Ziyue was holding a large, exquisitely wrapped box, requiring both his hands to carry it.
The box was adorned with a red ribbon.
Ren Liuliu happened to be walking out.
Upon emerging, she encountered the two of them. Turning back now would appear overly deliberate.
"Mr. Wen, Mr. Wen."
Ren Liuliu, as the center of the gossip, was naturally aware of Wen Bai and Wen Ziyue's former engagement.
And at the moment Wen Ziyue saw Wen Bai, the smile on his lips froze.
He assumed Wen Bai had come to cause trouble.
Wen Ziyue didn't have time to respond to Ren Liuliu, instead protectively stepping in front of her.
575 subtly glanced at Wen Ziyue with its peripheral vision, then at Ren Liuliu standing behind him.
Then, it looked back at its master.
Wen Bai, seeing Wen Ziyue blocking Ren Liuliu, felt it was an obstruction.
Under everyone's gaze, Wen Bai bypassed Wen Ziyue and stepped in front of Ren Liuliu.
As if by chance, Wen Bai's wrist brushed against Ren Liuliu's hand, which was wearing a watch. Wen Bai responded to the female lead with a blank expression: "Mm."
Due to Wen Bai's touch, System 001 finished the copy in a few seconds.
System 001's voice chimed in: "It's done, Host."
Then, Wen Bai, with a blank expression, brushed past Ren Liuliu.
The surrounding onlookers watched Wen Bai's retreating back, their disappointment evident as they realized nothing significant had happened between the three of them.
Wen Ziyue remained tense, having prepared for various scenarios.
Unsatisfied by the lack of drama, the onlookers began to take out their phones, chat amongst themselves, and slowly disperse.
"Long time no see."
Ren Liuliu: "..."
It had only been a few days.
Ren Liuliu frowned at the object in Wen Ziyue's hands: "What is this?"
Wen Ziyue held it up: "For you."
"I don't..."
"You said you wanted it, and you'll like it. I guarantee it."
Ren Liuliu wanted to refuse directly.
However, due to Wen Ziyue's position at the Robot Research Center, she hesitated and did not utter the words of refusal.
She accepted the box and weighed it.
The contents inside rolled slightly with her minor movements, seemingly startled, emitting faint sounds from within, even colliding and scratching against the box.
Ren Liuliu said her thanks distractedly: "Mr. Wen, thank you for the gift."
Having delivered the item, Wen Ziyue, not being adept at expressing his affection to women, had other matters to attend to: "Then I won't disturb your work."
Ren Liuliu nodded, and Wen Ziyue soon left.
Carrying the box back to her seat, Ren Liuliu's frown deepened.
She looked at the expensive, fluffy small dog inside the box...
Without even looking closely, she quickly closed the lid.
She didn't like keeping pets and was too busy to care for one.
She hadn't expected a casual remark from her to be taken to heart.
Ren Liuliu was not moved; her heart remained unmoved. She merely felt Wen Ziyue was doing something unnecessary.
She hadn't done anything out of the ordinary, and there was no implication.
As if unable to comprehend.
Ren Liuliu turned her head and looked at her reflection in the glass cabinet of the laboratory.
She truly had no idea what had gotten into Wen Ziyue to make him take a liking to her.
However, this was someone she couldn't afford to offend right now, as she couldn't leave the Robot Research Center.
This matter was somewhat beyond her control.
A colleague came over to see what it was: "Wow, it's so cute!"
Ren Liuliu saw this as a good opportunity to dispose of the box.
Ren Liuliu immediately furrowed her brow, appearing distressed: "I'm not very good at raising pets. If you like it, I mean, if you can take good care of it..."
"I can!"
Ren Liuliu smiled: "Then it's yours now."
-
Wen Bai took 575 to Lin Qi's laboratory again and had Lin Qi collect 575's data.
Wen Bai had come to the Robot Research Center on impulse several times without notifying Director Li.
Director Li would always rush over after Wen Bai arrived.
Today was no exception.
However, today, Director Li rushed over upon hearing the gossip about the love triangle involving Wen Bai.
That woman with questionable character actually dared to steal Mr. Wen's man! How dare she!
It was only when he saw Wen Bai remaining as aloof and cold as an iceberg, showing no abnormalities, that Director Li realized he might have been overreacting.
Mr. Wen clearly didn't take it seriously.
Perhaps, for wealthy families, marriage was a trivial matter?
Indeed, his perspective was too narrow.
By the time Director Li arrived, 575's data collection was complete.
As he escorted Wen Bai to the parking lot, Director Li sternly reminded him: "Mr. Wen, it's not very safe for robots on the roads lately. Perhaps you should consider having a few more bodyguards when you go out, or at least have your robot wear sunglasses."
Director Li was always dependable, and Wen Bai accepted his well-intentioned advice: "Mm."
As Wen Bai said "Mm," 575 immediately retrieved the sunglasses that its master had given it earlier from its pocket and obediently put them on.
On the way back, Wen Bai finally understood why Director Li had specifically come to remind him.
Their car came to a halt midway along the route.
The car was stopped on the road leading to the bridge.
In front of them, the scene could only be described as a human sea.
Soon, the crowds surged around Wen Bai and 575's car.
At this point, any further movement was impossible.
Everyone's voice, in unison, was shouting: "Boycott robots! Robots should disappear!"
Wen Bai and 575 could hear this even inside the car with the windows closed.
575 merely looked at the humans outside without any expression.
Some were holding signs with bright red markings, a glaring cross drawn on the image of a robot.
The large-scale anti-robot demonstration had begun, just as in the original storyline.
Wen Bai turned on the car's radio, cycling through several audio channels, all of which broadcasted news of out-of-control robots causing harm.
Wen Bai turned off the radio.
Due to several consecutive, extremely serious criminal cases involving dozens of people being killed by out-of-control robots,
And to this day, the out-of-control robots responsible for these atrocities had not been apprehended.
On the road outside the car.
Household service robots, carrying items, were jostled by the protesting crowd midway. Unable to harm humans, they were passively pushed to the ground;
Some people emerged from the protest, pressing household service robots to the ground and smashing them with pre-prepared long sticks;
Others had household service robots lifted by masked individuals and thrown into the river beside the bridge;
Some people peered into car windows to check for robots inside. Vehicles containing discovered household service robots were smashed, the robots dragged out and pushed into the crowd, while their owners could only watch anxiously, forcefully pushed back into their cars...
This demonstration was meticulously planned.
Although some people spoke out in defense of robots, and some humans tried to intervene,
The perpetrators, wearing masks to conceal their identities, used the guise of a protest to commit acts of violence.
Wen Bai watched the events unfolding outside with cold eyes. These scenes gradually overlapped with certain memories.
The police arrived quickly, all wearing protective suits and helmets. No robots accompanied the police this time.
The police, linking arms, formed a human wall and advanced towards the protesting crowd.
The isolated perpetrators were directly forced to remove their masks and were taken away.
Chaos ensued...
It took over three hours for the traffic jam to be cleared.
Only then did the driving lanes return to normal, and the car could proceed.
By the time they returned home, it was already dark.
During dinner, Wen Bai's subordinates delivered news that was not good: they had lost track of the four out-of-control robots, and the other party seemed to have discovered them but avoided direct confrontation.
Wen Bai looked at the photos sent to his phone. There were front-facing photos of only three out-of-control robots: a long-haired man in strange clothing, a man in a white suit with a slicked-back hairstyle, and a robot resembling a little girl. They all had their blue eyes open, smiling joyfully as they were all engaged in the same activity: killing.
The remaining image was only a woman's back, without even a profile shot.
The locations where the perpetrators were discovered included those in the sensational, heinous news reports.
These out-of-control robots were responsible for the large-scale anti-robot protests.
Their crimes extended far beyond these.
Wen Bai looked at the information; there were many incidents not reported in the news.
The places they chose to strike appeared to have no pattern.
The victims' locations included large factories, black market auctions, bars, and even a school...
Apart from being crowded, these victim groups spanned different regions, with no apparent connections or commonalities.
Wen Bai put down his phone and began to eat.
As he ate, he asked System 001: "System 001, can you find them?"
System 001: "They don't have phones, so they can't be located, and they don't go online. They are robots..."
Wen Bai interrupted expressionlessly: "Got it, can't find them."
System 001 tried to save face: "I can only crawl through surveillance footage in their areas of appearance, if the surveillance hasn't been damaged."
Wen Bai shook his head: "If the surveillance could have captured them, my subordinates wouldn't have lost track of them."
Subsequently, System 001 deployed a multitude of surveillance drones.
Above Wen Bai's villa, various birds and insects appeared, rapidly dispersing in all directions.
In the evening, fruit wine appeared on Wen Bai's table again. However, this time, the fruit wine was different from before.
On any other day, Wen Bai would have drunk it.
But now, it was crucial to remain vigilant and clear-headed at all times.
Wen Bai realized that in this world, due to excessive safety, he had lost some of his vigilance.
From today onwards, he would stop drinking.
Of course, he would still eat well.
Wen Bai pushed the glass in front of him, refusing 575 for the first time: "No drinking."
575 paused with the wine bottle in hand but replied: "Okay, Master."
-
When Wen Bai awoke again, 575 drew back the curtains.
Everything was as usual.
However, as Wen Bai got out of bed, 575 crouched down in front of him.
System 001 numbly watched 575 try various ways to please and touch the host every day.
It had no more feelings.
Wen Bai was not yet fully awake, his mind still hazy. Suddenly, he felt a chill on his ankle. He looked down.
He then discovered a cold object attached to his ankle.
For a moment, Wen Bai thought his eyes were playing tricks on him.
How could this object be here?
This was an ornament that Su Ying had once given him, which he had not taken with him and had placed in a drawer. However, this time, the ornament also had a matching chain, and the chain was connected to the wall.
Not only Wen Bai, but even System 001 was stunned.
Wen Bai kicked his leg, and asked 575, which had not looked up, with a blank expression: "What are you doing?"
575 lifted its perfect face.
This time, 575's face lacked its programmed standard smile. It looked at Wen Bai, its eyes holding an emotion Wen Bai couldn't comprehend: "Locking Master up."
Wen Bai didn't understand. What had happened last night?
After a night had passed, how could 575 suddenly have such an idea: "Why?"
575 said earnestly to Wen Bai: "This way, Master will only see me."
He wouldn't look at other robots, nor at his former fiancé, whom Master still liked.
-
"Host, are you just going to let it be?"
Wen Bai was currently lying on the bed. Within arm's reach, there were snacks and drinks.
Wen Bai held an electronic screen, asking System 001 to mark all the locations where the four out-of-control robots had committed crimes as seen in the news.
Wen Bai replied indifferently: "I want to know what it intends to do."
As he spoke, Wen Bai continued to add to the map on the electronic screen, marking places that had not appeared in the news but had been discovered by his subordinates.
The door opened, and 575 walked in with a lavish lunch.
Wen Bai did not put down the electronic screen in his hand; he was still looking down, diligently marking.
575 did not interrupt but placed all the food on the table in the room.
After 575 finished setting everything down, Wen Bai also finished marking.
Wen Bai put down the electronic screen and came to the table to sit and eat.
The chain on his ankle made a sound as it scraped against the floor.
The length of this chain was sufficient for Wen Bai to move around the room, balcony, and bathroom.
System 001 watched as the out-of-control robot 575 served the host soup, and the host accepted it.
After the host took a bite of the hairy crab, some crab meat got on his face.
575 even took a tissue to wipe it off for the host.
Their interaction was as before.
After Wen Bai finished eating, 575 cleaned up the room and took away the plates and utensils.
Wen Bai picked up the electronic tablet and circled two locations: "Their killings are indeed targetless and random. They are heading towards the city center. The incident locations along this route, when connected, represent the distance from the hunting game area to this city's center. The incident locations that are close are only a few kilometers apart, while the farthest are only about 20 kilometers apart."
"Host, the farther they are from the periphery, the shorter the intervals between the crime scenes. As it gets closer to the end, the intervals between crime scenes become longer. The last two incident locations are nearly 30 kilometers apart."