Heaven-Sent Fortune (2)

Damn it, I'm doing it! This isn't some crappy model! This is a genuine Transformer! I'm going all in too! After hesitating for two or three seconds, Pei Shao finally made up his mind.

Of course, no matter how determined Pei Shao was, a deal that could cost him his life if things went wrong still made him cautious beyond caution.

"Hey! I can see you! Why haven't you transformed yet?" Pei Shao stood at the room's entrance, opening the door only a crack and poking his head inside as he shouted at the phone. The advantage of this position was that if the Transformer showed even the slightest intention of attacking, Pei Shao could immediately lock the door and make his escape.

Unfortunately, Pei Shao shouted at the phone for ages until his throat went hoarse, but the Transformer phone did not move an inch.

Pei Shao suddenly felt like he was being an idiot. What if that phone really was just a phone? Maybe the landlord had come by while he was asleep last night and accidentally left his new phone on the computer desk. The odds might have been slim, but they were still countless times greater than the chance of his beat-up Samsung turning into a Transformer!

After thinking it over, Pei Shao first went outside and fetched two large woks. He used them to shield his head and heart, his two vital areas, before cautiously inching toward the phone step by step.

Pei Shao's plan was simple: no matter what, he would pick it up and take a look first.

Just as Pei Shao's hand was about to touch the phone, something strange suddenly happened. The little thing abruptly leaped off the computer desk. Accompanied by a series of hissing and clattering mechanical sounds, it actually transformed into a small robot around thirty centimeters tall!

Every detail of the phone's components—the buttons, circuit board, LCD screen, and more—was perfectly replicated on the little robot's body. And what the little robot held up and aimed at Pei Shao seemed to be the antenna at the top of that unbelievably cool silver-white phone!

Wait! Why was it pointing its antenna at me? Before Pei Shao had even finished examining the little robot's appearance, he suddenly sensed that something was wrong. Then, dumbfounded, he saw the antenna tip light up abruptly, just like a laser weapon charging in a cartoon.

"Holy shit!" Pei Shao instantly realized what the little thing was about to do and desperately ducked his head.

Clang! A bullet-like beam shot from the phone antenna and struck the wok Pei Shao had held over his head, producing an earth-shaking bang. In truth, the beam did not make much noise when it hit the wok, but Pei Shao had pressed the wok against his head and used it to cover his ears, so naturally it sounded unbearably loud to him.

After that deafening bang, Pei Shao was nearly scared out of his wits. Clutching his head, he fled through the doorway for dear life while screaming all the way, "Holy shit! We Earthlings love peace! We oppose violence! Help!"

Beep—

With a soft sound like a phone ringtone, the phone robot actually lowered its antenna and did not continue attacking the disheveled Pei Shao as he fled from the room.

Pei Shao seemed to sense that the little thing had stopped attacking him. After escaping the room, he cautiously pushed the door open a crack again and poked his head through it.

From more than half a room away, Pei Shao stared at the robot on the computer desk, and the robot on the computer desk stared back at him.

"Um... you... well..." Pei Shao stammered for a long time without managing to say a single complete, meaningful sentence. The robot before him had shocked him too deeply. Besides, Pei Shao had no idea how he was supposed to chat with a robot—he had never had such an experience before.

To Pei Shao's surprise, however, the robot took the initiative and spoke to him. "What is your name?" Its voice was icy, as though it were deeply unfriendly.

"My name is Pei Shao." Intimidated by the robot's presence, Pei Shao answered instinctively. But he quickly came to his senses and asked in stunned disbelief, "You... you can speak Chinese?"

"Of course. I have already downloaded seventy percent of Earth civilization's linguistic data from the internet. Besides Chinese, I am also proficient in English, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Arabic, Latin, Ancient Egyptian, and dozens of other languages."

Anyone could hear from the robot's tone that it was an arrogant fellow, filled with a sense of superiority. That irritated Pei Shao immensely. Although... Pei Shao had to admit that an intelligent robot really was absurdly impressive.

"Before asking someone else's name, you should introduce yourself first. You can access the internet, can't you? You should know that saying! So what's your name?" Pei Shao quickly suppressed his excitement and nervousness, putting on an indifferent front as he questioned the robot.

"Why should I tell you?" The robot remained icy, as cold as an iceberg. "Why can't you tell me? That's not fair!" Pei Shao forced a smile.

The robot looked utterly disdainful, as though it could not be bothered with him at all.

"What's the big deal... Just tell me! I'm not rich, but if you need anything, I'll definitely do everything I can to help you!"

Pei Shao pestered it for a while longer before the robot suddenly said, "Can you charge batteries here?"

"Yes... of course! I can even charge you anytime, twenty-four hours a day!" Pei Shao hurriedly replied.

"Good. I can tell you now: I have no name!"

"..." What kind of answer was that? Pei Shao wanted nothing more than to rush over and strangle it. If he dared.

"Then, can I call you Castle from now on?" Pei Shao muttered quietly.

"No," the robot replied coldly.

"Then what should I call you?"

"Please address me respectfully as Mr. Castle." Castle deliberately emphasized the words "Mr."

"All right..." Faced with such a rigid Transformer, Pei Shao was at a loss for words. It did not seem nearly as approachable as Bumblebee...

"Then, Mr. Castle, may I ask one more thing? Do you know about Transformers? Would you count as one too? Are you an Autobot type, or one of those Decepticons?"

"Hey, don't you have a few too many questions?" Though Castle said that, Pei Shao eventually pestered it until it had no choice but to answer. Perhaps Pei Shao's question was simply too foolish for Castle to tolerate. "Without question, I know! But Transformers are merely your Earthlings' fantasy of silicon-based lifeforms. I must admit that the comic artist named Black Mc has at least a tiny bit of imagination. Unfortunately, carbon-based lifeforms can never understand the mysteries of silicon-based lifeforms."

"Wait! Mr. Castle, what is a silicon-based lifeform?" Pei Shao was completely confused now.

"How strange. Why did I appear on such a primitive carbon-based civilization's planet?" Castle did not answer immediately, instead muttering to itself. "After scanning, Pei Shao's brain development is only five percent, his muscle tensile strength is below seven percent, his resistance to external impacts does not even exceed three percent, and his IQ is not even above three hundred—only a mere one hundred and twenty-five..."