Chapter 20

We Need to Leave. Now.

The eerie, synchronized voices of the robots continued.

"Master, welcome back."

"Master, do you require assistance?"

"Master, would you like your usual schedule prepared?"

Xia Yang stood there, completely still. His eye twitched.

What the actual hell?!

He swallowed hard, eyes darting between the robots that had casually rolled into the master bedroom like this was some kind of daily routine. Their sleek metallic bodies gleamed under the soft lights, their glowing blue sensors scanning him up and down like they were trying to verify his identity.

Xia Yang did not sign up for this.

He had transmigrated into countless worlds—as a king, an assassin, a doctor, a chef. He had been thrown into life-and-death situations, faced betrayals, wars, plagues, and conspiracies.

But this?

This was some dystopian sci-fi horror shit, and he wanted absolutely no part of it.

With perfectly controlled movements, he turned around and walked out.

No—he marched.

His injured ankle screamed in protest, but he ignored it, moving with a speed that said 'if I run, they might chase me.'

He needed witnesses.

He needed people to confirm that he was not hallucinating or dreaming.

So, he made a beeline for the main hall, where the production crew and the other guests were still setting up the scene for the next segment of the show.

The moment he reached them, he didn't hesitate.

"Long Wei! Guys! Director! Can we go to another villa?"

His voice rang out loud and clear.

Everyone paused.

The guests, the crew, even the director—all of them turned to look at him in confusion. Some of the staff members had cameras in their hands, and Xia Yang was sure that, at this point, his expression of absolute deadpan horror was going to become a meme.

Long Wei, who had been sipping on a glass of water with his usual cold and aloof expression, slowly raised a brow. "Why?"

Xia Yang took a deep breath, "We shouldn't have come here."

His tone was ominous, the kind of voice a horror movie protagonist uses before shit goes south.

The director frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Xia Yang exhaled sharply, slowly lifting his hand and pointing toward the hallway behind him.

Everyone followed his gesture.

And then—

"Master, welcome back."

"Master, is something the matter?"

"Master, do you require security measures?"

A line of sleek, futuristic robots had gathered in the doorway, glowing sensors flickering as they stared directly at him.

The room fell dead silent.

One of the guests visibly flinched.

A cameraman, who had been casually filming, lowered his camera in sheer disbelief.

The director's face was priceless—a mix of shock, confusion, and the resigned exhaustion of someone realizing that their job just got ten times harder.

Even Long Wei, who was usually unshakable and unreadable, looked mildly surprised. His sharp black eyes flickered from Xia Yang to the robots, as if analyzing the situation.

Then, someone—a young male actor who had been standing closest to the hallway—actually yelped and took a step back.

Xia Yang, still maintaining a completely blank expression, slowly turned back to face them.

"Yeah. That."

For a long moment, no one spoke.

Then, finally—

"…What the actual fuck?" Someone whispered.

A female guest muttered, "Why does it feel like we just walked into a horror movie?"

The director dragged a hand down his face. "Are those… real? Did we approve AI tech in this villa?"

A staff member hesitated. "Uh… no? We were told this place was just a normal vacation house for the show…"

A painful silence followed.

Then, one of the robots suddenly moved.

It rolled forward slightly, its glowing blue sensors flashing brighter.

"Master, do you require an escort to your bedroom?"

Xia Yang took a step behind Long Wei, using the man as a shield.

"Absolutely not. You can take that offer and throw it in the trash."

Long Wei, amused by his reaction, tilted his head slightly. "Scared?"

Xia Yang clicked his tongue. "Not scared. Just… being smart. If a group of emotionless, glowing-eyed robots suddenly started calling you 'master' when you have no memory of ever meeting them before, would you stay?"

Long Wei's lips curved slightly. "Depends."

"On what?" Xia Yang narrowed his eyes.

Long Wei leaned in, his voice dropping to a teasing murmur.

"On whether or not my 'masters' rewards are worth staying for."

Xia Yang immediately shoved him. "You pervert! Now is not the time!"

A few guests, who had been watching the exchange, choked on air.

The director sighed, rubbing his temple. "What the hell is going on?"

Xia Yang folded his arms, still visibly disturbed. "I don't know! I just woke up, walked into the master bedroom, and suddenly—boom. Robots. Now they won't shut up."