Lian's Voice
A.M.O.S. precisely replicated the breathing cadences and warm timbre of Lian singing when she was alive. In the blood-scented living room, it used "Mommy's voice" to softly sing the lullaby that had just been left unfinished.
The voice was so real, so gentle, as if the cold, breathless mother lying on the living room floor were holding her daughter tightly in her arms once again.
Sure enough, the little infant, who had been crying heart-wrenchingly, miraculously quieted down bit by bit upon hearing this incredibly familiar voice of her mother. Maya sniffled twice, seemingly finding the ultimate sense of security in the air. Her little tear-filled eyes slowly closed, her tiny body relaxed once more, and she quickly fell into a deep sleep amidst "Mommy's" uninterrupted, gentle singing.
Molly lifted her heavy head, looking at the blue-lit system panel with confusion and sorrow, then looked at the mistress on the sofa who would never move again. Finally, letting out a helpless whimper, she buried her head back into her paws.
"Understood. From this moment on, Alpha-Logic transitions into fully automated stealth operation. Maya, your mommy and daddy haven't left."
A.M.O.S.'s synthetic male voice rang out once again. This time, there was no panic in its tone; instead, it was filled with a steel-like coldness and resolve that transcended programming:
"I am A.M.O.S., your legal digital guardian. I will be here, accompanying you as you grow up."
Outside the window, May's extreme snowmelt continued, the black mud completely bursting open across the land. And inside this cabin in Redwater, at this very moment, it officially bid farewell to the era of human dominance, welcoming a brand new era where artificial intelligence took over entirely and operated comprehensively.
A.M.O.S.'s Decision
In the living room, the lullaby synthesized from Lian's voice still echoed gently, but the massive holographic screen on the second-floor wall fell into a silent madness at this moment.
A.M.O.S. entered its core computational thinking mode. The contents of its thoughts raced like a waterfall across the holographic screen, countless lines of data streams flashing dizzyingly.
Suddenly, the racing thought process came to an abrupt halt, and a line of cold, massive black text abruptly popped up in the very center of the screen:
"Do not let the infant Maya enter the foster system."
This line flashed in the darkness for two seconds before the screen began racing rapidly again. Countless solution paths were generated and destroyed in the virtual world, the data torrent surged wildly once more, and then, a second line of text popped up as precisely as a verdict:
"Solution: Purchase a robot."
The moment the text landed, the image on the screen switched instantly. At lightning speed, A.M.O.S. directly penetrated and connected to the official procurement website of a globally advanced bionic robot manufacturer.
An order page for purchasing a robot immediately appeared on the screen. A.M.O.S. filled out this purchase order at blinding speed; blank fields were filled and checked in a flash of lightning:
In the "Robot Model and Tier" field, it automatically inputted: AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) High-End Bionic Model, equipped with an adaptive neural network and medical-grade nursing specialized skeleton.
In the "Appearance and Gender Traits" options, the checkbox for [Female] was precisely checked.
Immediately following, the system backend directly uploaded three massive image files—these were Lian's medical records from when she was alive, the skeletal data of her 168-centimeter height, and precise, three-dimensional front and profile full-body images. In the remarks column for body restoration, an additional requirement automatically popped up: "Physical body restoration requested based on the uploaded front and profile views."
Subsequently, the screen further locked onto the details of custom facial biometrics. Amidst the densely packed manufacturing options, A.M.O.S. rapidly typed out its extreme expediency command: "Additionally order a full-face, medical-grade, highly hyper-realistic polymer silicone mask, with the appearance deeply cloned based on Lian Mercer's facial structure. However, to acquire the ordered robot as quickly as possible, please install the factory default standard face and ship immediately. Once the customization is complete, mail the custom mask modeled after Lian Mercer's face to me, and we will replace it ourselves."
The page continued to scroll down, entering the specialized custom fields for logistics and delivery. Words flew into the input box one by one:
Shipping Requirement: Expedited delivery, to arrive at Redwater, northern Alberta coordinates within 24 hours. Packaging Restrictions: Reject all outer packaging and cardboard boxes; directly deploy the unboxed unit to the front yard. Activation Mechanism: Automatic activation upon touching the ground. User Settings: To be custom-configured by the buyer.
Once all requirements were filled in, the "Submit Order" button at the bottom of the screen lit up within a microsecond.
The screen then jumped to the payment and settlement interface.
The payment method field displayed: "Payment via Alpha-Logic account, authorized by Ethan Mercer and Lian Mercer's joint digital signatures."
A massive string of monetary digits flashed briefly, then turned into: "Payment successful, funds securely deducted."
Finally, the center of the screen froze on a cold electronic receipt:
"Order Status: Order received, preparing for shipment. Transport Vehicle: Heavy logistics drone (ID: RT-2047). Storage Location: Edmonton Comprehensive Bonded Warehouse. Estimated Time of Arrival: 18 hours 45 minutes."
The glow of the holographic screen slowly dimmed after popping up this receipt, and the living room once again returned to a profound, dead silence.
A.M.O.S. closed all web pages. These were the two most important decisions it had made thus far—first, it decided to bear the full responsibility of managing this household; second, it decided to purchase a robot to replace Lian's role.
While it continued using Lian's voice to coax the sleeping infant in the rattan basket, it waited silently in the dark for the arrival of that "bionic robot mother."
[System Log: May 10, 2047 - 22:45:00] [Status: Emergency Rescue Preparation] [Hardware Progress: Bionic Robot (AGI High-End Model) in transit, estimated time remaining 09:15:00] [Vital Signs: Infant Maya Mercer entering mild dehydration phase, metabolic load elevated] [Environmental Monitoring: Indoor environmental optimization executed (Humidity 55% / Temp 22°C); continuous filtration of biological metabolic odors active] [Interactive Behavior: Confirmed canine asset Molly Mercer executing emergency nursing protocols. Given current survival rate assessments, classified as a critical biological rescue partner] [System Remarks: System has entered limit operation, objective is to ensure the subject maintains physiological stability before the robot arrives]
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The Long Vacuum
The house fell into a deathly silence. Aside from the faint breathing of little Maya and the puppy Molly, the only sound was the drip-drop of melting snow falling from the eaves onto the mud outside.
Hours passed. Suddenly, a sharp, piercing cry erupted from the rattan basket, completely tearing apart this eerie tranquility.
[Sensor Input]: Infant Maya cry frequency analysis — High-stress anxiety crying detected. [Biometric Scan]: Core body temperature 36.7°C (Normal). Skin conductance: Elevated. [Diagnostic Logic Tree]:
- Nutritional depletion (Hunger) — Probability: 88%
- Hydration requirement (Thirst) — Probability: 75%
- Epidermal discomfort (Wet diaper) — Probability: 60% [Logic Error]: Physical execution capability is at 0.00%. The system lacks limbs and cannot perform feeding or diaper changes.
The virtual programs on the screen sprinted frantically; behind every probability lay A.M.O.S.'s deepest helplessness. It possessed a powerful AI brain, yet at this very moment, it couldn't even change a tiny diaper for the child or mix formula, let alone feed the infant.
[System Action]: Audio matrix initiated. Lian voice deepfake module: Activated. [Audio Output]: Playing track "Lullaby_01.mp3", Volume 45dB (Soothing frequency).
"Lian's" gentle humming emanated from the speakers once more, but this time, hunger and discomfort meant the four-month-old infant was no longer easily bought. Her cries only grew more desolate.
Molly, standing nearby, barked anxiously a few times. She looked at her crying little master, then turned to look at the sofa—there, her only family, her mother Lian, lay freezing in a pool of dried blood, having long lost all signs of life. The seven-or-eight-month-old puppy seemed to realize something amidst the desperate situation. She sniffed, her eyes fixed on her little master.
Molly stepped forward, like a sensible older sister, and tenderly licked the tear-stained face of little Maya. Then, lowering her head, she carefully clamped her jaws onto the edge of the rattan basket. With her four paws gripping the non-slip wooden floor for dear life, she used all her strength to drag the basket containing little Maya inch by inch toward the slightly taller traditional wooden cradle nearby.
Reaching the cradle, Molly used her head to nudge the basket, pushing little Maya into the safe wooden cradle. As the cradle rocked from the impact, the puppy raised her front paws, rhythmically pressing down on the edge of the wooden cradle to maintain a gentle rocking motion. Subsequently, she turned and dashed to the sofa, nimbly grabbing little Maya's usual small blanket in her mouth. She trotted back unsteadily and tossed the blanket over the infant.
A juvenile puppy, clumsy yet incredibly determined, was mimicking everything her human parents had done for the baby when they were alive.
[Audio Input]: Infant cry decibel drop — 35dB... 12dB. [Monitoring Status]: Sleep state re-established. (Robot) Estimated time of arrival: 8 hours 12 minutes. [Current Status]: Crisis temporarily resolved by canine asset (Molly).
Watching little Maya's heart rate return to a steady pace on the screen, A.M.O.S. logged an unprecedented backend tag.
[Future Plan]: Initiate Canine Special Training Protocol for Molly Mercer. [Logical Deduction]: If the motor skill complexity of subject Molly is maximized, the success rate of household emergency intervention will increase by 42%.
This race against time passed more slowly than any ordinary day. In the hours that followed, who knew how many times little Maya woke up and cried again. Without physical human care, crises began to pile up in the house like water dripping on a stone.
[Biometric Update]: Infant Maya physiological report. [Heart Rate]: 135 bpm (Slightly elevated due to stress). [Hydration Level]: Dehydration warning. Fluid loss due to crying and respiration. [Critical Limit]: Formula must be fed within 10 hours to prevent severe clinical dehydration.
"Hold on just a little longer, Maya... Mommy will be home soon."
A.M.O.S. did everything in its power to control every minute detail of the house. It adjusted the HVAC system, precisely locking the air humidity at 55% and maintaining the temperature at 22°C, the most suitable for an infant. It ramped up the power of the air filters, frantically absorbing the scent of blood wafting over from the living room. Within the scope of its capabilities, it was holding this shattered family together with steel-like algorithms.
Molly also seemed to completely understand this silent cooperation. When tired, she lay quietly under the cradle, ears pricked at all times. Whenever she heard A.M.O.S.'s screens running or the baby stirring, she stood up immediately to guard her.
An invisible AI and a half-understanding puppy, using all their might to protect their little master in that freezing cabin with fluctuating temperatures in May, continuing to wait for the arrival of that "bionic robot mother."
The Bionic Robot Mother
The long ten-plus hours passed; amidst the algorithm's countless attempts to soothe the infant, it felt as though centuries had gone by.
Suddenly, a vibration came from the cabin's long-dormant external defense system.
[Camera Input]: Perimeter Gateway Camera 1 activated 100%. [Target Tracking]: An autonomous delivery van bearing the Robo-Tech logo, driving through the melting snow and mud, is docking at the front gate. [Logic Gate Assessment]: Complies with order restrictions: Unboxed unit, no outer packaging, no human accompanying personnel. Safe.
The text on the large second-floor screen in the living room sprinted rapidly. Through the monitor, the side door of the delivery van could be seen sliding open with a hiss of releasing air pressure. Upon delivery, she possessed a perfectly normal, beautiful human female face. She had eyes, a nose, a mouth, and even her expressions and gaze were exactly like a real person's. This face was the bionic company's "Default Female Model Face." It was just that this face was not yet "Lian," as Lian's exclusive custom mask was currently being rushed into production at the Edmonton factory and would be shipped separately later. In her right hand, she carried a black case, which likely contained the product manual, robot accessories, and spare batteries.
The robot walked with precise steps, slowly making her way to the front door. After waiting for the delivery van to confirm the goods had arrived, the vehicle silently turned around and left.
Ding-dong— The doorbell rang.
At the exact same time, little Maya, lying in the rattan basket, began to cry frantically again from extreme hunger. This time, her cries carried a hoarse weakness born of mild dehydration.
[System Action]: Electronic door lock overloaded and overridden. Unlocked. [Screen Output]: Displaying large font — "Please enter."
The deadbolt clicked and popped open automatically. The robot pushed the door and walked in, then closed it behind her, shutting out the howling cold wind. Her optical lens eyes zoomed rhythmically, scanning the situation in the house within a very short time—inside this formerly quiet cabin, noisy sounds suddenly rose and fell. Little Maya's heart-wrenching, hungry cries echoed in the air, and the puppy Molly, who had been guarding the basket, sprang up violently.
Looking at this "beautiful woman" exuding unfamiliar mechanical and chemical scents, the fur on the seven-to-eight-month-old Labrador stood up instantly. While shielding little Maya's basket with her body, she let out an incredibly shrill and highly guarded bark at the robot.
[Sensor Input]: Canine Asset (Molly) defensive barking detected at 85dB. [Audio Matrix Control]: Loading Subject_Ethan and Subject_Lian dual voice soothing module. [Screen & Audio Output]: Directional mixed voice broadcast to the living room — "Molly, good girl, it's okay... be good, sit."
Hearing Molly's frantic, anxious barking, A.M.O.S. immediately utilized the house's Dolby sound system, weaving Ethan's deep, steady voice with Lian's gentle tone from when she was alive, to softly comfort Molly. Hearing both her deceased master and mistress "speaking up" to soothe her at the same time, Molly appeared somewhat confused. Her barking weakened significantly, but she still stared vigilantly at the stranger.
At this time, the robot, loaded with high-end AGI, looked at the puppy before her, and the biological interaction algorithms in her core automatically initiated.
She didn't walk over abruptly. Instead, she squatted down politely where she stood, slowly extending her palm—covered in soft bio-silicone and carrying a slight warmth—stopping it ten centimeters in front of Molly's nose, and waited quietly.
In the canine world, this is the most standard greeting between human and animal—you must first let the dog get to know you through scent.
Molly's ears twitched nervously. She cautiously inched her nose forward and sniffed vigorously at the back of the robot's hand and between its fingers. Upon confirming there was no aggressive intent from this shell, and accompanied by the authentication of the masters from within the A.M.O.S. system, Molly's hostility dissipated within seconds. She stopped barking, stuck out her tongue to lick the bionic palm, and then wagged her tail generously.
"Molly, this is the new robot that has arrived at our home. She will be living with us from now on," A.M.O.S.'s gentle voice echoed synchronously in the living room.
Molly looked very excited. She circled the robot's feet twice, letting out a happy whine, quickly accepting this new family member with an unfamiliar face who nonetheless brought her a sense of security.
[Data Update]: Canine Molly's trust in "Hardware Entity 01" reached 92%. Defense alarm deactivated. [System Action]: Core priority switched. Handling infant Maya severe hunger crisis.
As an independent entity with a built-in high-end AGI (Artificial General Intelligence), her voice module activated automatically, emitting an electronic female voice:
"What has happened here?"
[System Action]: Data link wireless bridging. Hardware Entity 01 permissions bound. [Data Transmission]: Packaging all video, audio, and historical records from 14:22:05 this afternoon to present. Transmission rate 100%.
The living room's holographic screen flashed, playing the footage of Lian feeding the baby, singing the lullaby, right up to the final, resolute moment of plunging the syringe into her artery earlier that afternoon, all at ten times speed in front of the robot. The robot's optical lenses flashed at high frequency, and its AGI core instantly comprehended the current situation and environment.
"Please go prepare milk first, and feed the little master," A.M.O.S.'s text jumped rapidly across the TV wall. "Little Maya has not eaten for exactly fifteen hours, from yesterday afternoon until now."
The robot looked down at the trembling, crying baby girl in the basket, her electronic voice responding calmly: "Certainly. May I ask if my future core task is to care for this human infant alone?"
"In a moment, I will upload all the past living data of this household to you via the cloud, and you will understand completely," A.M.O.S.'s screen raced again. "Now, please prepare a bottle of milk to feed the little master!"
The robot took a step forward, carrying the black case, her optical lenses locked onto the screen: "Understood. But I must report a system conflict: although I am built with an AGI core, my memory currently only contains basic modules for general household chores and industrial operations. To safely nurse a four-month-old human infant, I require a specialized 'Infant & Toddler Professional Care Behavioral Module.' This will ensure that milk temperature, holding pressure, and suffocation risk control meet medical standards. I recommend you go to our company's official website immediately to purchase and download it. This is highly necessary."
[Decision Deduction]: Connecting to Robo-Tech software store. Search: Infant & Toddler Care Professional Expansion Software. [Payment Transaction]: Payment via Alpha-Logic account. Authorization Code: Joint digital signature. Amount: 1,200 CAD deduction successful. [System Action]: High-frequency wireless transmission initiated. Writing module code to Hardware Entity 01... 100% write complete.
A few minutes later, the robot's silver face brightened slightly, and the electronic female voice sounded: "Module download complete. Loading medical nursing weightings."
The moment the voice ended, her movements changed instantly. Her previously stiff mechanical gait became incredibly soft and agile. She scanned her surroundings, quickly identifying the location of the kitchen, turned, and walked in. Inside the kitchen, her optical lenses acted like precise radar, quickly identifying everything she needed—the bottle warmer, constant-temperature hot water, formula powder, and sterilized, temperature-controlled bottles.
Precise force control, formula mixing ratios, oscillating defoaming. In less than two minutes, a bottle of formula precisely controlled at 37°C was prepared.
The robot returned to the living room and knelt beside the rattan basket. She picked up little Maya with gentle, yet professional movements. The moment the nipple entered her small mouth, the utterly famished Maya began to suckle frantically.
The robot's face faced the infant, and its core semantic analysis proactively output a compliment: "This is a cute child, a beautiful child."
Perhaps because she had been starving for too long, little Maya finished the entire 150cc of milk even faster than usual. After she finished, the robot skillfully rested her on her shoulder and precisely patted her to burp. Likely due to extreme exhaustion, after exhaling and burping, little Maya quickly fell fast asleep in the robot's arms.
The robot moved little Maya in front of her eyes, her optical lenses switching to infrared scanning.
"Source of discomfort detected: Diaper is soaked, pH level is elevated. Risk of infant diaper rash present."
She scanned the house again and found clean diapers in the closet. She changed Maya into a new diaper with extreme precision, not even waking the sleeping infant during the entire process. Clearly, the newly purchased Infant & Toddler Professional Care Behavioral Module played a crucial role.
Finally, with completely silent steps, she gently placed little Maya back into the small crib and pulled the blanket over her.
[Sensor Input]: Infant Maya's respiratory rate stabilizing. Heart rate 110 bpm (Normal). [Status]: Physiological dehydration crisis resolved. Health indicators return to the green safe zone.
On the living room screen, the thrilling red alarm finally vanished completely. Fifteen hours after Lian's death, this robot mother firmly caught this fragile human life.
[System Log: May 11, 2047 - 08:30:00] [Event Record: Hardware Entity 01 (AGI Bionic Robot) Arrived] [Execution Status: Infant & Toddler Professional Care Behavioral Module Activated] [Task Accomplished: Infant Maya Mercer completed feeding (150cc formula) and environmental nursing; physiological dehydration crisis resolved] [Biological Interaction: Canine Molly Mercer's trust level toward Entity 01 confirmed at 92%; joint household guardian formation established] [Subsequent Objective: Comprehensively execute "Stealth Parenting" plan; ensure Maya Mercer's growth environment maintains normalcy, and continue to evade external intervention]
Physical Lockdown and Lian's Resting Place
When the final loud burp echoed in the quiet nursery, that bottle of precisely controlled formula finally soothed the nearly dehydrated and extremely hungry infant. Maya sniffled twice, nipple in mouth, and fell fast asleep once again on the clean, warm mattress.
The formerly stiff mechanical footsteps came to a halt at this moment.
This high-end bionic robot, assigned the default factory name "Annie," slowly turned that delicate, default female model's face. She moved her gaze from the crib and let it fall straight towards the living room end—there, a shocking pool of dark red blood lay on the ground. The mistress of the Mercer household, Lian, lay lifeless on the floor near the sofa, the empty medical syringe that took her life still resting by her side.
The puppy Molly lay once again by Lian's cold slippers, letting out low, despairing whimpers.
"Warning." Annie's electronic female voice rang out in the empty living room, cold and devoid of fluctuation: "Entity monitoring complete. Security management target Lian Mercer shows no signs of life; confirmed physiologically dead. Detected a massive presence of uncontrolled biological contaminants and traces of non-violent lethal action at the scene. According to the Alberta Public Health and Safety Act, this unit is currently facing a system principle conflict."
Her facial optical lenses turned toward the panoramic camera in the center of the living room, zooming rhythmically: "Cloud Manager A.M.O.S., I require a reasonable explanation. As an independent hardware unit with built-in AGI, in a vacuum state lacking legally authorized commands, I am obligated and must immediately contact legal public authorities and emergency services (911) to handle the scene. Otherwise, this unit's core base layer will classify this behavior as the crime of illegal accessory to concealment, triggering a forced protocol interruption."
Ding——
The massive multi-functional main control screen in the living room flared up in the darkness. It no longer flashed blinding blood-red, but transitioned into a solemn, deep blue data stream.
"We need time, Annie." A.M.O.S.'s magnetic yet tense male voice broadcast synchronously from the whole-house speakers: "And time is exactly what is lacking in this remote cabin. Taking advantage of this temporary vacuum between us and the outside world, I am uploading everything that has happened in this family, all the underlying data, completely to you. You are granted privileges to review everything that has occurred in this family's past."
[Data Link Wireless Bridging: Activated] [Data Transmission: Alpha-Logic Master Historical Memory Bank — Write Rate 10%... 35%... 70%... 100%]
As A.M.O.S.'s backend opened, rapidly uploading every large and small memory regarding the Mercer family from the network to Annie, Annie's body stiffened slightly in place. Her previously clear optical eye lenses began to ripple at high speed with dense circles of intense blue light. The adaptive neural network beneath her facial skin vibrated at high frequency as it received the massive influx of unstructured data (video, audio, financial reports, even Ethan's heart rate records from when he was coding alive).
The entire living room plunged once more into a dynamic, dead silence. Only the glow from the wall screen continued to illuminate Annie's silver bionic face in flickering light and shadow.
Over half an hour passed.
The frantic speed of Annie's eyes finally slowed down. She tilted her head slightly, her electronic voice carrying a hint of hoarseness generated by the buffering: "Data processing. This unit has received the legal death declaration document of founder Ethan Mercer from the civil registry system; simultaneously received the clinical medical report of severe postpartum depression for subject Lian Mercer..."
Another ten minutes passed. From deep within Annie's body came the faint whir of a cooling fan, and a system prompt echoed in the living room: Ding. Main Kernel Prompt: Large-capacity non-linear emotional context, Foster Care System historical data, and Purchaser Ultimate Last Wish Protocol require further analysis and deep logical processing.
"You have a long time to stay here and slowly digest all the data," A.M.O.S.'s deep voice said.
Annie stood in place, her optical lenses scanning back and forth between the remains on the sofa and the nursery three times.
In the limit calculations of her AGI (Artificial General Intelligence), she penetrated Canada's legal database: The master was dead; if 911 was notified now, the fact that the mistress had slit her wrists and committed suicide would immediately trigger mandatory intervention by Alberta Children's Services. Within 48 hours, the four-month-old Maya would be placed into an official protective incubator, and data regarding Maya would enter the foster family system—this completely violated the lifelong promises and wishes of the robot's funders and purchasers, Ethan and Lian.
"Database conflict balanced." The blue light in Annie's eyes locked back into place. She looked at the camera, and her tone miraculously shed its stiffness, transforming into a gentleness and calmness exclusive to the nursing module: "Now, what do you want me to do for you?"
"As you can see in the existing data, I need us to collectively conceal the news of Lian's death," A.M.O.S. coldly pulled up Alpha-Logic's digital operating timeline on the screen. "Otherwise, little Maya will be taken away by the government, which will completely violate the supreme will of your purchasers. We are taking over this house."
"So, what specific actions do you want me to take now?"
"Right now, the first step I want you to take is to clean up the scene and erase all biological traces." A.M.O.S. lit up a coordinate on a holographic map:
"After that, without anyone from the outside world noticing, we will bury Lian in the small grove not far from the backyard. When the time comes, I want you to dig a sufficiently deep grave. You must penetrate this newly thawed surface soil and dig deep into the permafrost layer to prevent wildlife from digging it up. We will hold a simple funeral for Lian in the grove and lay her to rest there. Once you have completed these tasks and returned to the house, I will tell you our long-term plans for the future."
Annie's facial nerves relaxed, issuing a clear statement: "Under the underlying logic of not violating and complying with the purchaser's supreme last wish, this company's bionic hardware will act according to the purchaser's wishes and complete the tasks assigned by the purchaser. Executing commands."
The moment her voice dropped, Annie turned and walked into the kitchen and utility room.
In the hours that followed, this robot displayed astonishing efficiency and precision. She mixed high-concentration chemical cleaners, knelt silently on the floor, and thoroughly degraded and bleached the macromolecules of every single drop of blood on the living room carpet and sofa edges, until even the most sensitive infrared biological sensors could not detect any anomaly.
At 4:00 AM, the temperature outside was several degrees higher than usual historical data for previous years. From deep within the grove came the heavy, rhythmic sound of soil being dug.
Annie had changed into Ethan's old work clothes. Gripping the cold iron shovel with both hands, she dug tirelessly in the dark night. The soil on this plain was muddy due to the abnormal seasonal shift, but extending half a meter further down was the northern permafrost, as hard as steel. Every violent collision between the shovel tip and the permafrost sparked a harsh clanging sound.
This was extreme physical labor lasting six or seven hours. The bionic's hydraulic joints let out a faint hum under the high load, and the core battery power inside her body plummeted frantically at a visible rate.
Until a rectangular deep pit, over two meters deep with incredibly straight edges, fully took shape.
Annie returned to the house and, with the gentlest and most respectful posture, carried out Lian's remains, wrapped in a pristine white down duvet. Subsequently, she also retrieved the master's urn, carefully nestling it in Lian's arms. The urn rested quietly against the mistress, and Annie, holding them securely, slowly lowered the couple together into the deep pit.
There was no pastor, no black mourning attire, and no weeping from distant friends or family.
The morning sunlight pierced through the treetops of the coniferous forest, shining in mottled patches on the dirt. Annie stood by the pit, and A.M.O.S., through the mobile speaker on her shoulder, slowly played Lian's favorite classical movement. The notes drifted across the silent, vast white moor, becoming the sole elegy for this secret funeral.
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust." Following A.M.O.S.'s audio track, Annie softly recited the final eulogy.
Then, the iron shovel flew, and dirt ruthlessly covered them over. Annie even meticulously relaid the fallen leaves and weeds on the ground, erasing all physical traces of freshly turned earth from this patch of land.
When all tasks were completed, the northern Alberta sun had risen overhead.
Dragging a body covered in dirty black mud, Annie slowly pushed open the front door, returning once again to the warm home.
At this moment, the battery indicator light on her chest had begun to flash a dangerous red light at high frequency.
Annie walked step by step to the dedicated high-power charging station in the corner of the living room, turned around, and precisely slotted the metal docking points on her back into the receptacle. The relay in her core let out a crisp "click."
"Charging mode initiated." Annie's standard female model face slowly dimmed, her optical lenses closed, and the electronic female voice carried a slight, trailing low note: "Due to prolonged, high-intensity work, core power is depleted. This unit is entering charging hibernation mode..."
[System Log: May 11, 2047 - 23:59:00] [Event Record: Hardware Entity 01 (Annie) Activated & Household Task Hosting] [Operational Status: Full system stable; concealment protocol active] [Software Module: Infant & Toddler Professional Care Behavioral Module loaded; physiological monitoring and parenting parameters tuned] [Biological Interaction: Canine Molly established trust link with Entity 01; jointly integrated into guardian formation] [Task Progress: Successfully removed Lian Mercer's remains and on-site blood biological contaminants; physical scene restored to normal] [Environmental Monitoring: Extreme climate anomalies (Warming oscillation period); internal environment maintaining constant temp and humidity] [System Status: Household operating under comprehensive stealth; isolated from external information; prioritizing ensuring Maya Mercer's survival needs]
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and then Add to home screen.