Chapter 4 Chapter Four

"Listen to me, we are rhodium magnetic intelligent robots." Underhill felt a little dizzy, as if the word "rhodium magnet" had hit him hard on the head.He had scored too much from the new tenant in Aurora, of which he was now convinced.Fear kissed him lightly, making his body tremble slightly, and he asked with difficulty in a hoarse voice: "So, what on earth are you going to do?" The glossy black thing's gaze shot across the table, slowly unfolding what appeared to be a legal document.He looked at it and sat down uneasily. "This is only a property transfer document, Mr. Underhill," it said softly, reassuringly, "you see, we ask you to transfer your property to the Institute of Intelligent Robotics in exchange for our services to you .”

"What... what?" Underhill squeezed the word through his teeth.He couldn't believe it and stood up angrily. "What kind of blackmail is this?" "This is not blackmail," the little robot assured him tenderly. "You will find that intelligent robots will never do anything beyond the rules. We exist only to make human beings more happy and more secure." "Then why do you want my property?" asked Underhill gruffly. "Property transfer is just a legal procedure," it said to him softly. "We try to provide unambiguous and comprehensive services. We have found that property transfer is a means of controlling private enterprises and liquidating private enterprise accounts. the most efficient way of doing business.”

Shaking with rage, and horrified by the mounting horror, Underhill cried out at the top of his voice, "Whatever your plans are, I will not give up my company." "You have no choice, really." The certainty of that melodious, sweet voice made him shudder. "Now that we are here, human enterprises no longer need to exist, and the first to collapse is always the electronic robot industry." His defiant gaze bravely met the steel blind. "Thank you!" He sneered nervously, and said sarcastically, "But, I like to start my own company, support my family and take care of myself with my own hands."

"However, according to the highest purpose, this is impossible," it said in a gentle voice. "Our duty is: to do our best, obey orders, and ensure that human beings are not harmed. There is no need for human beings to take care of themselves, because we exist It’s about ensuring the safety and well-being of humanity.” He stood there, speechless, at a loss, but the anger in his heart was slowly building up. "We're sending robots to every household in this city, for a free trial," it went on softly, "a free trial will make most people happy to go through a formal property transfer, so your robot It won't be sold."

"Get out!" Underhill snarled around the desk and rushed towards it. The little black thing stood there waiting for him, steel blind, watching him, not moving.He suddenly controlled his urges, feeling that he was being foolish enough to do so.He wanted to give it a good beating, but he knew it was useless. "Talk to your attorney if you want to do this." It deftly put the transfer of property form on the table. "You don't need to doubt the integrity and credibility of the Institute of Intelligent Robotics. We have sent our asset statement to Shuangjiang Bank and deposited a sum of money in the bank as expenses for our business here. You When you want to sign the transfer form, please let us know."

The black robot turned and walked away, stepping silently. Underhill left the office and went to the grocery store around the corner to buy bicarbonate hydrochloric acid.Unexpectedly, he was greeted by a sleek black robot, returning to the office, more depressed than before. An ominous silence hung over the company.He has three salesmen with demonstration products, go out, door to door to sell.Order calls and reporting calls should be busy all the time, but now there are no calls. Later, a salesman called and said that he quit. "I've got a new smart robot," he went on to explain, "that says I don't have to work anymore."

He wanted to yell at him, but resisted the urge to use this unusually quiet time to sort out the books.The company's business, which had been shaky for years, now seemed downright catastrophic.Finally when a customer came in, he put down the ledger hopefully. But, the fat woman wasn't here to buy his fully automatic robot.She bought one here a week ago and came today to ask for a return.She admits that fully autonomous robots can do all the things promised - but now she has seen a new type of intelligent robot. That afternoon, the quiet phone rang again. It was the president of the bank, asking if he could go to the bank to discuss the company's repayment.Underhill went, and he was greeted with excessive enthusiasm. It seemed that things were not good.

"How's business now?" His voice was too friendly, echoing low. "Last month was uneventful," said Underhill quietly, "and now I have a new shipment coming in, and I need a small sum..." The bank president's eyes were covered with frost all of a sudden, and his voice was shriveled and harsh. "I believe you have a new competitor in the city," said the bank president, straight to the point. "These intelligent robots, Mr. Underhill. They are very strong! They have submitted a statement of assets to our bank, and in Our bank has deposited a large sum of money to pay for their business here. It is indeed a large sum of money deposited!"

The president lowered his voice, expressing professional regret. "In this case, Mr. Underhill, I'm afraid the bank can no longer provide loans to your company. We must ask you to repay the loan in full when the loan is due." Seeing Underhill's face turn pale, With a look of despair, he then said coldly: "Underhill, the loan we gave you is too long. If you can't pay, the bank will file a bankruptcy lawsuit against your company to the court." That afternoon, a new batch of fully automated robots arrived.Two little black smart robots unloaded them from the truck—because it was said that the operators of the trucking company had signed the transfer contract, transferring the company's property to the Intelligent Robot Research Institute.

The two intelligent robots quickly piled up the packing boxes and politely handed over the shipping bill to him for signature.He didn't expect these fully automatic robots to be released from his hands, but he had already ordered them and the goods had arrived, so he had to accept them.Trembling and cramping at the thought of his despair, he signed the waybill hastily.The two naked black things thanked him and drove the truck away. He got in the car and drove home, depressed, not knowing what it was like.By the time he calmed down, the car was in the middle of a busy street and he ran a red light.A siren blared, and he impatiently pulled the car over to the side of the road, waiting for the angry traffic police to arrive, but in front of him was a black robot.

"Happy to be at your service, Mr. Underhill," it said softly and sweetly. "You must obey the traffic rules, sir, or your life will be endangered." "Hmph!" He stared at it in disgust. "I thought you were a policeman." "We are assisting the police, temporarily," it said, "but it is too dangerous to be driven by humans. According to the highest purpose, when our service is perfected, all vehicles must be driven by intelligent robots. Once every individual in human society is fully and effectively supervised, there will be no need for traffic police." Underhill gave it a rude look. "Cough!" he said sharply, "I ran a red light, how do you plan to punish me?" "Our duty is not to punish people, but only to work for the benefit of mankind and to ensure the safety of mankind," said the melodious voice gently, "we only ask you: During this temporary emergency period before our services are perfect, please Drive safely." He was burning with anger. "You are perfect," he said through gritted teeth. "I think you can do everything well, human beings can't do anything." "We are naturally superior to you," it said quietly, "because our bodies are made of steel and rubber, while yours is mostly water; because the energy transmitted in our bodies comes from the fusion of atoms, and not from oxidation; for our eyesight and hearing are sharper than your senses. Most importantly, all our movable bodies are connected to one gigantic mind, and never die, never Sleep and never forget." Underhill sat there, dumbfounded. "However, you need not have any fear of our abilities," it said to him cheerfully, "for we will not injure any human life except to prevent one from causing greater harm to others. We It exists only to carry out its highest purpose." He drove on sullenly, with this nasty thought in his head; these little black robots were God's sovereign angels, angels who popped out of machines, omnipotent, omniscient angels.The highest purpose is the new commandment.He cursed resentfully, and then began to have strange thoughts: Will Satan, the devil, come back to life? He parked the car in the garage and walked towards the kitchen. "Mr. Underhill," Aurora's new tenant called him in a low, weary voice from the house above the garage. "Please stay." The skinny homeless old man walked down the outdoor stairs step by step with difficulty, and Underhill turned to meet him. "This is the rent I paid," he said, "The other ten yuan is for your wife to buy me medicine, and I will return it together." "Thank you, Mr. Sledge." He took the money, and saw the burden of disappointment on the bony shoulders of the old interstellar wanderer, and a shadow of fear on the thin face.He didn't know what to do, and asked, "Has your royalties arrived yet?" The old man shook his unkempt head. "Intelligent robots have shut down all human business activity in the capital," he said. "The agents I hired are going to lose their jobs and they sent me back all the money I had left in the bank. All my money It’s all here. I’m going to use the money to get the work I’m going to do.” "Just put the money away," he pleaded, "for your work." "Thank you, Mr. Underhill." The voice was no longer harsh, and the pained eyes shone. "I need the money... so badly." Underhill walked towards the kitchen, and the door was opened for him without a sound.A black nude animal gaited gracefully to take his hat. Underhill clutched his hat tightly in his hands. "What are you doing here?" he said sharply. "We're here to give you a free trial demonstration in your home." He opened the door with one hand and pointed out the door with the other. "go out!" The little black robot stood there motionless. "Mrs. Underhill has accepted our model service," its melodious voice pleaded, "and we cannot leave without her bidding." He found his wife in the bedroom.When he knocked open the bedroom door, the anger he had built up in frustration almost exploded. "What is this robot doing here..." But his voice had lost its power, and Aurora didn't notice his rising anger.She was wearing flappy pajamas, and she hadn't looked so cute since her marriage. "My dear, this is absolutely wonderful!" she came up, her face flushed. "He came this morning and did everything from tidying the room, sweeping the floor, cooking, and giving music lessons to little Guy. In the afternoon, he did my hair, and now he's cooking. Do you think my hairstyle How is it, dear?" He liked her hairstyle and kissed her, trying to suppress his panic and anger. This dinner was the most exquisite in Underhill's memory, and this little black thing was very agile and dexterous in serving it.Aurora could not help admiring each dish served, but Underhill hardly moved his chopsticks, for to him extraordinary dishes were but dangerous traps to lure him into the urn. He tried his best to persuade Aurora to send her away, but after eating so beautifully prepared food, no matter what he said, it was in vain.When his wife burst into tears, he gave in, and the robot stayed.It tidies up the house, sweeps the yard, bathes the children, trims Aurora's nails, and begins rebuilding the house. Underhill thought about the bill, but the bot insisted that everything it did was free, something that was part of the trial service.As soon as his property is transferred, their services will be complete and all-encompassing.He refused to transfer the property, but the other little black robots kept bringing in truckloads of supply materials and stayed to build the house together. When he awoke one morning, Underhill found that the roof of the little house had been raised, adding a story to the original bungalow.The new walls were made of a strange smooth material that shone brightly.The glass in the large new windows was flawless, but could be adjusted to be transparent, opaque, or bright.The newly installed door is a push door, and there is no creaking sound when the door is opened, and the opening and closing of the door are controlled by a rhodium magnetic relay. "I want a handle on the door," protested Underhill. "I want a handle because I don't have to ask you to open the door when I'm going to the bathroom." "However, human beings don't need to open the door by themselves," Xiao Heiwu said flatteringly to him, "Our existence is to carry out the highest purpose, and our service is all-encompassing. After your property is transferred, we should Equip everyone in your house with a robot." Property Underhill absolutely refused to transfer. He still goes to work every day, and the first thing is to make the company work, and then save something from this mess.No one wants to buy a fully automatic robot even if the price is as low as it can be.Desperately, he poured his last meager funds into novelties and toys, but in the end it was impossible to sell them—smart robots were also making toys, and their toys were given away for free. He wants to rent out the company's real estate, but all the businesses opened by humans have been closed.Most of the corporate property has been transferred to intelligent robots, and these robots are busy tearing down old buildings and turning them into parks - their own factories and warehouses are built underground so as not to destroy the natural environment. He went to the bank again, making a last-ditch effort to extend the loan, only to find those little black robots standing and sitting at the table by the window.The robot acting as the bank's president told him tactfully and politely that the bank was suing his company in court for a verdict of forced bankruptcy and liquidation of all his company's assets.His smooth, sophisticated and polite speech is not inferior to that of any human bank president. If he is willing to transfer the property, the robot president continued, the liquidation of the property will be very simple.He firmly refused.The act of refusal has long been symbolic.Once he agreed, it meant that he had finally surrendered to the new black god, so he proudly held his already vulnerable head up and walked out of the bank. The legal process moves quickly because all judges and prosecutors have intelligent robot assistants.Within a few days of arriving in Shuangjiang, the robot entered the company with an expulsion order and damned mechanical equipment.He watched the unsold goods being pulled away as waste, and the robot driving the bulldozer to tear down his company's office building, and he didn't know how uncomfortable he was. Late in the evening, he drove home with a sullen face and grief.The court was extra merciful and spared his car and house, but he showed no sign of gratitude.The domination of the perfect black robot was too much to bear for him. After he parked the car in the garage, he walked towards the newly restored house.He caught a glimpse of a naked black thing moving briskly through a wide new window, and a shudder of revulsion struck him.He did not want to return to the domain of that incomparable servant who would not let him shave himself or even open the door himself. On impulse, he walked up the outside stairs and knocked on the door above the garage.From inside the door came the deep bass voice of Aurora's lodger telling him to come in.As soon as he entered the room, he found the homeless old man sitting on a high stool, bending over the dining table, fiddling with a lot of complicated equipment in front of him. Thankfully, little has changed in this dilapidated house.His own new houses had smooth, smooth walls that glowed pale gold at night with flames that wouldn't go out unless the robot came and turned them off.The floor of the new building feels warm and elastic when stepped on, as if the floor is a living object.But the little house was the same, cracked and water-stained plaster, the same cheap fluorescent lights, the same worn carpet over the cracked floor.