Future 2066

Skyscrapers lined the skyline in an array of dazzling lights reflected off smooth glass facades, creating a modern and technological cityscape. The intelligent transportation system had revolutionized how people traveled, with autonomous vehicles seamlessly navigating efficient road networks, and airborne traffic of flying cars orderly cruising above the city.

Every corner of the city was interconnected by IoT devices, embodying the concept of a smart city in every aspect of life. Through the windows of towering buildings at dawn, residents' homes were seen filled with smart home devices—from systems automatically adjusting temperature and lighting to kitchen robots customizing meals according to personal tastes.

Public spaces blended the essence of nature with technology, with sky gardens and vertical forests adding greenery to the steel jungle. Smart parks interacted with visitors through interactive devices, providing places for relaxation. Energy sustainability was achieved through solar, wind, and other renewable sources, complemented by zero-emission building designs and efficient waste management systems, ensuring the city remained clean and environmentally friendly.

In this city, humans coexisted harmoniously with artificial intelligence.

Trinity woke up early that day, heading into the commercial district for work, where she was drawn to a newly opened establishment named "FeastBot," a robotic restaurant. Boldly displayed on its facade was "Fully Automated Cooking, Instant Serving," and through the window, several robotic arms deftly handled various ingredients, swiftly delivering delicious dishes to tables. Customers interacted with these robots via gestures or smartphone interfaces, experiencing a novel dining experience that seamlessly integrated high technology with gourmet cuisine.

"Give me one," Trinity walked into the shop and placed her order.

After selecting her meal, she turned towards the adjacent window where several robotic arms were busy at work. They collaborated gracefully and efficiently, moving between stoves and preparation stations like dancers. One arm precisely measured ingredients while another briskly stirred a rich sauce.

"Your order is ready. Enjoy your meal," a soft electronic voice emitted from the terminal. Trinity took her tray, feeling the warmth of the food inside.

As she ate and walked towards her workplace, she spotted her supervisor, Sophie, holding an electronic attendance roster, checking the staff's sign-ins.

Sophie looked up and, somewhat puzzled, said, "Trinity, today is Sunday. You don't have to work today. Did you get the schedule wrong?"

"No, I know. I just didn't have anything to do at home, so I thought I'd drop by. Sophie, would you like some breakfast?"

"No, thanks, I've already eaten."

Sophie was a gentle yet efficient woman. She glanced at the LCD notice board on the wall, which displayed: "Good morning, today is Sunday, August 29, 2066. The weather is sunny turning cloudy, with a light breeze, temperatures ranging from 18 to 29 degrees Celsius. It's a great day to go out!"

August 29—there were only two days left until the end of Trinity's probation period.

Sophie realized why Trinity was so keen to come to work today. She smiled at her and said, "You can stay, but the store won't pay you for today."

Trinity smiled back, though her smile was a bit forced.

Sophie didn't say anything more and told Trinity to have her breakfast first.

While eating, Trinity browsed the latest electronic publication from the head office, which featured a variety of robots in all shapes and sizes.

Yes, that's right. Trinity's company sold robots.

The store where Trinity worked was a direct outlet of an independent brand under the head office. This brand specialized in high-end household robots, so the store was filled with many robot models.

These robots were remarkable for their 1:1 full realism, looking so much like humans that it was almost impossible to tell them apart.

It was quite pressuring to eat breakfast with so many robots staring at her...

After breakfast, Trinity didn't want to sit idly in the store and decided to go out and try her luck.

The "Orange Robot Experience Store" was located in a bustling downtown area, with two large shopping centers nearby. Plenty of people came here to shop on weekends, and Trinity hoped to attract some of them to visit the robot experience store.

However, it seemed that people had encountered too many sales pitches like hers and showed no interest in the robots she was promoting.

In desperation, Trinity stopped two girls who looked sympathetic and pleaded, "Could you please visit our robot experience store? I'm still in my probation period, and if I don't make any sales, I might get fired..." As she spoke, her nose tingled, and she nearly cried.

The two kind-hearted girls had nothing else to do, so they followed Trinity.

Since they sold high-end robots, the "Orange Robot Experience Store" was also very upscale, with a design that was both simple and luxurious. The two girls were curious and looked around as they were led inside. At first, they thought the store was bustling with customers, but then they realized that most of the "people" inside were completely still.

Oh, so they were all robots.

Clap, clap—Trinity clapped her hands twice and softly called out, "Alex."

A man sitting at a table with his head down, reading a book, looked up and asked, "I'm here. Trinity, what do you need?"

Trinity gestured to the side with her palm and said, "Let me introduce you. This is Lily, and this is Mia."

Lily and Mia, looking a bit puzzled, asked Trinity, "And he is...?"

The man called Alex looked at Lily and Mia, paused for a moment, then slowly stood up and said, "Lovely ladies, it's a pleasure to meet you. May I have the honor of offering you something to drink?"

His handsome face, tall and slender build, and deep, gentle voice made Lily and Mia blush. Lily looked down and softly replied, "Of course, thank you..." When they looked up again, they noticed that Alex was no longer behind the table. Instead of walking, he had both legs together and seemed to glide towards the drink bar like he was on a skateboard or a ghost from a movie, moving with a "whoosh."

Lily: "..." Mia: "..." What on earth is going on!!!

"Sorry, sorry," Trinity said, a bit embarrassed, quickly explaining, "I forgot to change his mode..." She grabbed the remote control from the table and pressed a button aimed at Alex's back. Alex paused, then immediately switched to walking mode, starting to walk on two legs like a human.

Trinity tried to salvage the situation, saying, "Actually, um, that previous mode is more energy-efficient!"

At this point, Alex's walking was slow, with each step taken at the same pace and stride, very mechanical and lacking the fluidity and naturalness of a human.

Mia suddenly understood, "So, he's a robot?"

Trinity laughed, "Yes, didn't you notice? Our robots' appearances are almost indistinguishable from real humans. If I had to point out a difference, I'd say robots are even more handsome than humans."

She made a joke, but neither of them laughed. Trinity awkwardly touched her nose.

Alex reached the bar, scanned the drinks, and then turned back to them, asking, "We have water, juice, tea, coffee, and milk. Lovely ladies, what would you like to drink?"

Even though they knew his compliment was just a programmed response, Alex's appearance was so convincingly human that Lily and Mia couldn't help but feel a bit flattered. Each of them ordered a drink.