A Blessing in Disguise (1)

"Heavens! That's terrifying. If what you're saying is true, then who knows how many Silicon-based People are secretly living on Earth right now? If more than half of them harbor hostile intentions, then I... I really don't know what the consequences will be. Maybe it could even trigger another world war!" Pei Shao stood there dumbfounded.

For someone who loved peace and had grown accustomed to a peaceful life, even though he did not care much about national affairs, he still cared deeply about his tranquil existence.

"Pei! Things may be troublesome, but they haven't gotten that bad yet! We just need to be extremely careful in the future!" Castle comforted Pei Shao as it added, "Motor did well. It actually copied the other party's 'Reflective Energy Search Signal' device into its database. That explains quite reasonably why I failed to detect its light-energy signal just now."

Gradually reassured by Castle, Pei Shao slowly recovered from his shock and asked, "Then can you copy that device into your database as well?"

"Of course. I can even analyze the device's weaknesses and advantages, then improve and upgrade it. That way, if I encounter Motor again in the future, or companions equipped with the same device, I will not only be able to capture their light-energy signals, but also conceal my own..."

"Heavens! Is this what they call surpassing one's master? Mr. Castle, you're too despicable!"

"Despicable? That word is nowhere near enough to describe my capabilities. In Earthlings' television dramas, it is usually used to describe vile, incompetent villains. If you insist on comparing me to an antagonist, I would rather you call me 'cruel' or 'cold-blooded.'"

"..."

Just then, a violent pounding suddenly came from outside. When Pei Shao returned to the living room, he discovered that every piece of furniture had been blasted to ruins by "Motor," scorched black in places, with shards of glass, metal fragments, and other debris scattered all over the floor. Fortunately, no fire had broken out. Otherwise, Pei Shao truly had no idea how he could explain it to the landlord.

He could only hope the person knocking was not the landlord.

With a nervous heart, Pei Shao opened the door and found more than a dozen neighbors standing outside, each glaring at him furiously.

"Damn it, kid! What the hell are you doing in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?"

"Exactly! Are you trying to tear the building down?"

"Hell! Why is your place such a mess? Did a thief just break in?"

"..."

The moment he opened the door, Pei Shao was completely drowned in the neighbors' overlapping complaints. What made him feel even more like crying without tears was that just as he tried to close the door, he spotted the landlord standing conspicuously behind the crowd. Her greasy, plump face had already turned livid.

"Pei Shao!" she suddenly shrieked, nearly making him faint. "L-Landlady!"

As the landlord walked in, the front door was shut tightly behind her. But the instant Pei Shao met her murderous gaze, he hurriedly backed away several steps.

Still, he "kindly" reminded her, "Don't come this way. Be careful not to step on anything sharp!"

When the plump landlady finally saw that every furnishing in the room had been smashed to pieces, her expression went beyond rage. She looked as though she was about to faint.

After a long while, she finally let out a hysterical scream. "Pei Shao! I need a reasonable explanation! Otherwise, I'm calling the police immediately. Were you making bombs in my house?"

"No, no! Of course not! Landlady, please listen to me. Don't call the police!" The moment Pei Shao heard that she wanted to call the police, he panicked. As he desperately racked his brains for excuses, he quietly slipped Castle back into his pocket. Yet no matter how he explained himself afterward, the plump landlady kept her face taut from beginning to end, her gaze cutting across Pei Shao's face like knives. In the end, with no other choice, Pei Shao could only agree to compensate her for every loss she demanded.

The compensation came to more than two thousand yuan in total. It was money his parents had just sent from home, just enough to cover the landlord's damages. Pei Shao had originally planned to send it back together with his first month's salary after he started earning money, so they would know he had found a decent job. But before he could even tell them about his new job, this unexpected disaster had struck. Pei Shao truly wanted to cry.

What made him want to cry even more was that after taking his money, the plump woman not only refused to forgive him, but immediately told him to pack his things and swept him out the door like garbage.

Carrying two large suitcases filled with clothes and daily necessities, Pei Shao walked out onto the street under the gleeful gazes of his neighbors, still feeling as if everything was unreal, like a dream.

"It's over, Mr. Castle. We're really homeless now! You won't even have anywhere to recharge in the future. What are we going to do?" Pei Shao asked with a miserable face.

Castle did not answer. After the battle just now, its energy had been severely depleted, and it had entered hibernation.

"Ugh... What rotten luck. Now there's not even anyone to talk things over with!" Standing on the street, Pei Shao looked at the brightly lit entertainment venues lining both sides of the road and suddenly felt terribly alone.

"I should find somewhere to recharge Castle first, then get through tonight somehow!" After thinking it over, Pei Shao realized that aside from Lin Meijing's magazine office, he had nowhere better to go. With no other options, he used the key Lin Meijing had left him on his first day at work to open the magazine office door and spent the night there.

Naturally, he slept terribly that night.

But what was even worse was that in the morning, just as work hours began, Pei Shao—still half-asleep—was jolted awake by the sound of a key opening the door. He immediately wanted to run over and explain why he had stayed there, but who would have thought that besides Lin Meijing, another stunning beauty with short hair walked in as well.

Dongfang Yinyin?!

Pei Shao's eyes widened, and for a moment, he completely stopped breathing.

What did it mean to add frost to snow? What did it mean for rain to pour when the roof was already leaking?

Pei Shao felt that his luck had hit rock bottom! It looked like he was going to lose even his job this time. He sighed inwardly and looked at the two women in utter embarrassment.

Lin Meijing and Dongfang Yinyin were both incomparably stunned to suddenly see Pei Shao here. Dongfang Yinyin's face instantly flushed crimson, clearly reminded of how Pei Shao had taken advantage of her yesterday.

"It's over, it's over. This time, it's really over!" The moment Pei Shao saw her expression, he knew she clearly remembered yesterday's incident vividly. Would Lin Meijing now tactfully tell him, "You don't need to come to work tomorrow"?