Switch Mode

ARIWLBBC Chapter 82

The Mysterious Investigator

The video call connected, and Bo Ge saw something gray and dusty.

“Oh my goodness,” the gray figure shook its head, and Bo Ge noticed its distinctive, outward-slanting eyes.

“There was just an explosion here. If there are any reports of casualties, don’t worry—it wasn’t me.”

“Explosion?” Bo Ge sat up straight. “What happened?”

“I heard it was a robot self-destruction, though I have no idea what triggered it,” Yu Mumu said, clutching their dim-witted robot tightly. “Thankfully, I’ve always treated my silly bot quite well.”

Sea Hare frowned and opened their optical brain to search. Instantly, thousands of results popped up. Since yesterday, over a hundred robot self-destruction incidents had occurred across the Alliance, with five happening on the Abel home planet alone.

Such a high frequency of self-destruction incidents in such a short time—there’s no way this wasn’t premeditated.

“The news has already spread,” Teacher Tu said with a serious expression. “Judging by the information above, many citizens are starting to panic. Some have even shut down their household robots and isolated them in separate rooms. The largest robot company in the Alliance has dispatched all its staff to inspect robots suspected of self-destruction on-site, but the sheer number of cases makes it impossible to complete the task quickly.”

Bo Ge, for your safety, why don’t you shut down Nais for now?”

“No need.” Bo Ge pursed his lips as he scrolled through the information. No wonder Big Cat suddenly left in the middle of the night—something this major had happened.

Could this matter… have anything to do with humans?

During the lunch break, while Sea Hare was resting, Bo Ge secretly slipped out. After running a couple of steps, he remembered he was in an uninhabited zone and turned back to unlock the most inconspicuous-looking aircraft.

Like a kid sneaking out with the family car, Bo Ge fumbled around for a while before finally starting the aircraft. It contained records of many locations, including the real-life residence of the human clan leader.

In the simulation, the human clan leader lived in a relatively simple house. But in reality, after stepping out of the aircraft, Bo Ge found himself in front of a small, exquisite villa and fell into thought.

The villa’s front gate was secured with a simple iron lock, and there was no doorbell to be found. Bo Ge tried calling out a couple of times, and soon, a robotic dog came running over. It sniffed him thoroughly before using its paw to unlock the gate.

Unlike the villa’s general appearance, its front yard was planted with lush green vegetables. Bo Ge spotted mutated five-clawed cucumbers and lumpy tomatoes. Shortly after, an old man wearing a sun hat emerged.

“Here to buy veggies, kid? All of these are homegrown, super fresh, and guaranteed honest prices!”

“Clan—Clan Leader?” Bo Ge tilted his head to look at the face beneath the old man’s hat. He seemed even older than his simulation counterpart, with more wrinkles and a noticeably darker complexion.

“Hm?” The old man squinted at the young visitor and removed his sun hat.

“Oh, it’s you, kid.”

“You still remember me.” Bo Ge beamed.

“How could I not?” The old man patted Bo Ge’s shoulder. “Come on in, let’s talk.”

Bo Ge followed the old man into the small villa. The interior was much like in the simulation, furnished entirely with handcrafted wooden furniture—simple and unpretentious.

Thinking of an old man like this orchestrating robot self-destructions, Bo Ge found it utterly unbelievable. Yet, there was still a sliver of doubt in his heart.

If humans weren’t behind this, then who could control the robots to self-destruct en masse?

“Have a seat, kid.” The old man picked up a kettle from the wooden table and poured Bo Ge a cup of tea.

“This is suk fruit tea I brewed myself, with a touch of honey—good for cooling and soothing.”

“Thank you, Clan Leader Grandpa.” Bo Ge obediently cradled the cup and took a sip. The taste reminded him of hawthorn rose tea his mother used to make in his previous life when he had indigestion. To counter the sourness, she always added a bit of sugar.

“Kid, what brings you here today?” The old man sat across from Bo Ge. A casual glance outside revealed the high-end aircraft parked near the villa.

“Clan Leader Grandpa, did you see the news about the robot self-destructions today?” Bo Ge asked, sipping his tea in small gulps. The taste filled him with nostalgia.

“I did.” The old man nodded, letting out a sigh. “That’s exactly why I don’t use smart home devices. Honestly, humans have made countless movies about robots awakening and going on murderous rampages. Leaving everything to AI? I just can’t trust it.”

Hearing this, Bo Ge furrowed his brow and looked earnestly into the old man’s eyes. Although his drooping eyelids obscured part of them, Bo Ge could still discern a trace of worry within.

What’s going on? Could it be that even the human clan leader doesn’t know about the connection between robots and humans?

“What’s the matter?” The old man looked at the boy curiously. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No, nothing.” Bo Ge carefully organized his thoughts before asking cautiously, “Do you think the robot self-destructions this time have anything to do with humans?”

“Kid, what have you heard that made you think humans would be connected to something so cruel?” The old man seemed puzzled. “Are you saying a human orchestrated all of this? That’s absolutely impossible.”

This time, Bo Ge was the one left speechless.

“You’ve probably been away from your people for too long and don’t have a clear understanding of humans anymore. Maybe you think humans are like beastfolk—rough and worshiping violence—or like elves, full of cunning.”

The old man refilled Bo Ge’s tea, his tone still kind and gentle. “Remember this, kid: humans are the most peace-loving species in the Alliance. They dislike violence, lack deviousness, and cherish only life and family.”

Bo Ge opened his mouth but couldn’t bring himself to say anything.

In the past life, if someone had said such things, they would likely have been met with mockery. But here, humans presenting themselves in this way is undoubtedly the wisest choice.

“Of course, there are some exceptional individuals,” the old man said with a loving smile. “But no matter how unique they may be, the inherent limitations of humanity constrain them. If their actions are so evil that even their own kind despises them, they may not truly be human.”

Bo Ge pondered for a moment and then nodded.

“Alright, child. Now, can you tell me—did you see something that made you associate this matter with humans?” The old man’s tone was unhurried, and his expression remained gentle.

“Do you… know the Three Laws of Robotics?” Bo Ge stared intently at the old man’s eyes, ready to catch even the slightest change.

“The Three Laws of Robotics?” The old man shook his head in confusion. “Robots follow the laws of the Alliance. When were they ever reduced to just three?”

The old man’s expression was impeccable—completely genuine. This only deepened Bo Ge’s confusion.

Even the human clan leader doesn’t know?

Could it be that so much time has passed that such concepts have truly been lost to history?

But robots clearly know about them and have been abiding by them all along!

Humans don’t know anything—not about the robots’ sacrifices, not about how every painful choice the robots made was to secure rights for humanity.

The sweet and sour taste in Bo Ge’s mouth suddenly turned bitter.

If humans are entirely unaware, could this madness of theirs be stopped? Previous strikes and protests were relatively peaceful, but this time, it’s clearly different!

Why are the robots doing this?

“Clan Leader Grandpa, I have one last question,” Bo Ge adjusted his thoughts. “What is humanity most dissatisfied with in the Alliance right now?”

The old man responded almost without hesitation.

“The marriage matching system.”

Bo Ge froze.

“Because rare species have the obligation to continue their lineage, humans are required to participate in the marriage matching process. If someone violates the system or chooses to pursue free love, it’s considered a breach of Alliance law. Not only could they lose their home and subsidies, but sometimes it can even be forcibly enforced.”

“For-forcibly enforced?” Bo Ge realized he had never heard of this detail before.

“Once a match is successful, after three months, if the other party submits a request and it is approved by the court, you might be forced to marry the other party,” the old man said, his tone tinged with regret as if recalling something unpleasant.

“Before, we heard news about abolishing or reforming the marriage matching system. We were so hopeful. But for some reason, the reform, which was supposed to be completed within a month, has now dragged on for over two months without any updates. A new round of matching is about to begin, and I don’t know how much longer we’ll have to wait.”

Bo Ge didn’t dare to say a word.

“By the way, I remember you mentioned before that you were matched with a beastman. Do you still think he’s good?” The old man asked kindly, but his tone carried the assumption that Bo Ge had already begun to regret it.

“He’s great.” Bo Ge sat up straight. “I still like him.”

The old man quietly observed the boy, as if trying to discern whether he was being truthful.

The room fell silent for a moment.

“Before, the one crying at the milk bar, was that—”

“It wasn’t me.” Bo Ge’s face stiffened.

“Crying, hiccuping, with snot bubbles—”

“It really wasn’t me.” Bo Ge forced himself to stay calm, even taking another sip of tea, adamantly denying it.

“Ah, there was also a researcher who specifically came to ask about humanity’s views on the marriage matching system,” the old man said, changing the subject as he noticed Bo Ge’s discomfort.

“What did you say?”

“I told them that if it weren’t for the marriage matching system, humans would never willingly marry beastmen.” The old man smiled. “It seems we have a special case here.”

“Wait.” Bo Ge felt like he had grasped onto something.

“The researcher you mentioned—was it a robot?”

“No.” The old man shook his head. “It was an elf.”

“An elf?” Bo Ge frowned, feeling like the trail had gone cold again.

“Yes, a very outstanding female elf,” the old man recalled. “She seemed to have a high status among elves—elegant and intellectual in her demeanor.”

“Now that I think about it, it was quite a coincidence,” the old man continued. “At the time, I was busy buying vegetable seeds and fertilizer, so I was rarely home. That day, I had just decided to rest at home for once, tidied up, and then I heard a knock at the door.”

Bo Ge stared blankly at the old man. The description reminded him of someone.

That female elf who created Big Cat—a scientist capable of predicting the future, devoid of ethics and morality.

“When did she find you?” Bo Ge asked, feeling a sudden chill.

“About a month ago.”

A month ago? Bo Ge tried to recall all events related to Laplace during that time.

A small snow wolf resembling a husky floated into Bo Ge’s mind.

The bounty hunter Farand, who had mysteriously fused with the snow wolf NPC. If Bo Ge remembered correctly, Farand had fallen into danger because he accepted a task from Laplace’s followers to steal a relic from the planet Kasajet. That relic had been irradiated with energy and seemed to have unique properties.

Realizing the implications, Bo Ge quickly warned, “Clan Leader Grandpa, you must never open the door for that elf again!”

“Why?” The old man asked, puzzled.

“Sh-she’s a saleswoman, scamming seniors for their credit points!” Bo Ge finished his tea and quickly stood up. “Clan Leader Grandpa, I’ll come visit again when I have time. Take care!”

The old man watched the boy’s hurried departure, lowering his gaze to the rim of his cup, remaining silent for a long while. The electronic dog came over, wagging its tail cheerfully at the old man’s feet.

“This kid,” the old man murmured, letting his hand fall to pet the electronic dog. The dog looked up with its shiny black eyes, affectionately nuzzling the old man’s hand with its head.

“You are by far the most successful intelligent robotic dog,” the old man said with a smile. “Now, if you could just stop gnawing on the legs of my chairs, that’d be perfect.”

The electronic dog suddenly froze. The old man’s hand paused mid-pet, noticing something unusual. The dog’s body seemed to be heating up abnormally.

“Wangcai, what’s wrong?” The old man bent down, trying to examine the electronic dog.

“Woof! Woof!” For the first time, the dog barked angrily at its owner, pulling away rather than seeking comfort. It glanced back at the old man, then bolted towards the open street like a streak of lightning.

“Wangcai!” The old man chased after it, only to see a sudden burst of light like fireworks. The electronic dog exploded in the middle of the road, its body shattered into countless fragments.

The silver dog tag that once adorned its neck flew through the air, landing with a bounce at the old man’s feet.

1You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you and Enjoy reading! ❤️ -TL: Ysiad
Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

  • 1
    You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you and Enjoy reading! ❤️ -TL: Ysiad

Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ads Blocker Image Powered by Code Help Pro

Ads Blocker Detected!!!

We have detected that you are using extensions to block ads. Please support us by disabling these ads blocker.

Powered By
100% Free SEO Tools - Tool Kits PRO

Options

not work with dark mode
Reset