Shorty didn't let him in right away. He closed the door first and asked the person deeper inside the room. Only after that did he open it again and warn Xu Huo, "Don't try anything. The room is full of armed robots."
Inside was a modest living room, about the size of a typical one-bedroom apartment in District 014. Yet four armed robots stood in such a cramped space. Judging by their appearance, they had been modified, too. One robot's chest and abdomen were exposed, its parts and circuitry seemingly patched together. It was clearly not the first time it had been modified.
The robots looked old, but they carried plenty of weapons.
Shorty pointed to the sofa in the living room. "If you have something to discuss, speak to Teacher over video."
Xu Huo sat down. A Communicator in the corner automatically turned toward him, and when its camera lit up, a business card appeared on the screen.
"State your business first. Then we'll discuss the price," the person on the other end said.
Xu Huo didn't care whether he could see the other person. He spoke toward the Communicator. "I heard about you from an old gentleman. Tomorrow morning, I have a very important call to make. I don't want anyone to be able to track me through a Jixin Terminal or interrupt me while I'm on it."
"This is very risky. The District Government might find out about you, and I won't be able to ensure your safety afterward."
"Why would the District Government come after you?" Shorty asked. He was wiping the robot beside him with a rag, hardly paying attention, though his eyes kept drifting toward Xu Huo.
"Because tomorrow morning, I intend to publicly reveal the truth about how the District Government and the