Twin's message was as concise as her personality: "Ziye, I'm in Tila Room 1112. Call me if you need anything."

Ziye paused slightly. Twin was downstairs from her?

She knew the current situation at the Tila Hotel all too well. Before she and Blackbeard checked in, the occupancy rate was only 58 percent. After they moved in, it shot to 100 percent in a single day! To express their gratitude for the contribution, the hotel generously waived their bill. Blackbeard was ecstatic; the triple refund on the other three rooms he booked was pure profit!

For Twin to snag the room right below hers, she either had the speed to book fast on the first day or she possessed real capability. Either way, having a good friend and supporter nearby made Ziye's heart warm. That was just how Twin was—you rarely saw her, but when needed, she was always the first to appear.

Ziye was deeply grateful. How many people in this world would go to such lengths for another?

The moment she sent the email, the doorbell chimed.

Ziye pushed the light screen aside and hurried to the doorbell monitor, expecting to see who she imagined. Instead, the sight that greeted her was utterly unexpected.

Standing outside was an F-series All-Purpose Android!

Ziye was dumbfounded. Had the androids produced by Mengya Group reached this level already?

The android stood silently outside the door, wearing a slight smile. Ziye instinctively reached for the handle, but then remembered she was being watched. She quickly retreated behind the door, summoning Butler W to open it and let the visitor in.

Once inside, the F-series android gave a slight nod. "Greetings, Ms. Ziye."

It was fake, as expected. All robots produced by Mengya Group greeted Ziye first with, "Hello, Mama Ziye," and only then followed up with "Ms. Ziye." This one was clearly an imitation.

Ziye raised her hand, pinched its cheek, and said, "Good bot."

The F-series android's eyes twitched. "Please refrain from casually molesting the androids, ma'am."

Ziye laughed, circling him to inspect him front, back, and sides. She pulled Butler W over and compared the two, giving a thumbs-up. "At best, I can make an android look like a person. You can make a person look like an android. You win!"

The F-series android smiled faintly, the lines of its set face softening, its optical sensors flashing brilliantly, momentarily dazzling Ziye. "It is my honor to join the android family."

Ziye dropped her smile, dissatisfied. "Teacher, stop fooling around."

The F-series android before her was Tang Wen.

He wore the standard uniform for androids: white dress shirt, suit jacket, waistcoat underneath, complete with a cravat and white gloves. His features were handsome, his height and legs long, his physique perfectly proportioned, his skin flawlessly white. When he smiled, it was heartwarming; his gaze was distant and serene. Anyone unfamiliar with the truth might genuinely mistake him for a Mengya Group product.

In fact, Ziye hadn't even scrutinized his true appearance closely. If one had been more attentive, the differences would have been noticeable. But few had actually seen Tang Wen, and the android guise easily fooled the eye, allowing him to stroll casually from the hotel lobby right to her room.

Tang Wen spoke calmly. "I am not fooling around. I couldn't get in otherwise."

Ziye rolled her eyes, opened her silver comm device, and snapped a series of photos of him from all angles. "No fooling, no fooling. If you make a robot just like you next time, it’ll sell like crazy." Why hadn't she thought of using his genetic template for android construction before? If that pervert saw it, he’d never let go!

Tang Wen disliked the candid photography style and habitually turned sideways, shielding his face. "Enough, stop fooling around."

Ziye threw his words back at him, pouting. "I'm not fooling around..."

Tang Wen looked at her intently. "Don't move."

Ziye froze. He grasped her wrist, gave a gentle pull, retracted his arm, and drew her into an embrace. Ziye stumbled slightly and quickly steadied herself by holding onto his shoulders.

The scent on him was like the man himself—not intense, but a light, clean fragrance, like the sky in late summer transitioning to early autumn, possessing a subtle richness. Ziye recalled the last time Tang Wen held her was during the filming of the Lingsi University promotional video, when the director tricked them. This proactive gesture was a first.

Ziye looked up at him, unsure of his intent. His expression was serious, his gaze pure and proud. In his hands, such an intimate action didn't feel suggestive; he remained as clean as ice and snow.

Ziye couldn't help but laugh, reaching out to pat his shoulder. "Good boy."

Tang Wen's face paled another shade. He decisively let go, walked to the sofa with a stiff expression, and sat down.

Just as Ziye was about to tell Butler W to serve tea, the butler approached Tang Wen, his tone slightly reproachful. "As an android, you must remain standing at all times and must not presume to occupy the master's seat."

Ziye was startled for a second, then burst into laughter. "Teacher, you had better remain standing."

Tang Wen stood up innocently. Douzai, spotting a stranger, rushed up, snorting, and bit down hard on his trouser leg. This startled Ziye into quickly scooping the creature up. If he had damaged Tang Wen, with the pervert gone, it would have been quite the hassle!

Tang Wen looked displeased. "This place is really dangerous." With little sprouts flying overhead and Douzai running on the ground, being forced to stand while Ziye "disapproved," and having Butler W "monitor" him while sitting—what was he supposed to do?

Ziye coddled one and explained to the other, finally getting Tang Wen settled comfortably on the sofa. She chuckled dryly. "It's a bit messy here, please don't mind."

Tang Wen sighed internally. Would it matter if he minded? So, after sitting down, he got straight to the point. "Ziye, do you want to start looking for personnel you can rely on?"

Ziye guessed that he wouldn't risk being identified just to visit her; he must have an objective. She raised an eyebrow. "What are you up to?" He clearly wasn't the type to be a subordinate. Was he trying to introduce her to some underlings?

Tang Wen said, "I can provide you with a location where you can recruit the people you want."

Ziye sighed. "I want to, too. But I have a mountain of unresolved issues right now, I can't divert my attention to that." She glanced toward the hotel light screen; the issue had progressed from tabloid gossip to legitimate news channels. The most difficult phase had passed, but Ziye dared not assume things would simply conclude. Too many forces were entangled. The slightest tremor from one side would inevitably spark another wave of bloodshed. All she could do was predict potential outcomes and their damage to Mengya Group and the Wolf's Den, and minimize the harm as quickly as possible.

Tang Wen looked directly into her eyes, as if trying to see into her very soul. "If this is about that, trust me, it will be resolved soon." Mengya Group managed to weather this crisis largely due to his intervention in clearing his name. Ziye thanked him gratefully and then asked, "What do you need my help with?"

Tang Wen was silent for a long moment. "Can you... take me to see my grandfather?"

Ziye fell silent too. The room grew quiet, broken only by the sound of Douzai grinding its teeth on a metal rod.

Tang Wen frowned, watching her expression. Just as he was about to speak, she looked up and smiled. "That's only right. Sit for a moment, I'll take you."

Tang Wen let out a soft breath. "What preparations do we need to make?"

Ziye pondered. "Do you want to pilot a ship or a mech? As long as it's cloaked. Also, we need to go to Ouguang's asteroid belt."

Tang Wen opened his ultra-comm to dial, but Ziye stopped him. "Wait, Sprouts, grant him access."

Little Sprouts uprighted the tiny sprout on its head. "Done!"

Ziye gave it a thumbs-up, grabbed a light screen, and emailed Twin: "Twin, could I ask you for a favor?"

Twin replied instantly: "Sure, tell me."

Ziye smiled with satisfaction and dialed Redhead's silver comm. "Redhead, could you trouble yourself to go to Tila Room 1112 and help disguise one of my friends as a C-series android? Wear C-service attire and bring a set of C-service clothes for me as well."

Redhead understood her intention without needing any explanation. After surveying the territory in the Tianyun Star System, Redhead had called back Old Dog, who was laying low in another sector, to help Big Head in Tianyun. Then she herself rushed back to Colais, afraid that Ziye or Big Beard might be in danger. Perhaps on Silver Rune Star, the three of them hadn't forged the deepest bonds. But out in space, they had weathered the most difficult period together, forging a profound camaraderie. Now that Blackbeard and Ziye were both in Colais, and since they weren't combat experts, she worried and returned to stay nearby, watching discreetly in case she could assist. Everyone's attention was focused on Blackbeard and Ziye anyway, so no one would notice her. Upon Ziye's request, Redhead immediately sprang into action.

Half an hour later, Twin, now resembling a C-series android, knocked on Ziye's hotel door. Seeing the other "android" sitting on the sofa, she showed no surprise, merely walking up to Ziye. "I'm here."

Ziye hugged her briefly and pleaded, "I need to go out for two days. Can you stay here in my place for me, please?"

Twin agreed without hesitation. "Okay," and handed over the C-service attire she had brought.

Ziye took it and went into the inner room to change. The C-service uniform was the sharpest among female android attire: a white double-breasted jacket with gold embellishments, a white miniskirt, and tall boots—looking capable like a female soldier. This was the perfect outfit for Twin. It suited Ziye just as well.

After changing, Ziye walked out and had Butler W apply her makeup. Tang Wen sat calmly, watching her magnificent transformation, a slight smile on his face.

Ziye shut down the three light screens belonging to the optical brain, packed them away to take with her, told Twin not to touch Douzai's mouth, tucked Little Sprouts, squashed flat, inside her clothing, and left with Tang Wen, one preceding the other, disguised as androids.

The journey was entirely unobstructed.

As soon as they departed, Twin sent a message to An Junlie: "Ziye is safe. She and Tang Wen left the hotel one minute ago."