PART 5: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Fared's eyes widened. So many components, tools, and robots he had never seen before. There was a piece of technology shaped like a brain, with wires attached to it, connected to various advanced computers and a supercomputer.

Fared clutched his head. Shocked. Truly shocked. He grabbed a chair and sat down. Quickly, he pulled out his smartphone. He wanted to check the CCTV cameras, but there was no signal or Wi-Fi connection except for the Wi-Fi on the floor where he was.

Fared opened the metal cabinets one by one. He found several blueprints and started reading them. He took the files and opened them one after another. All the research materials from the company's robotics lab were read by Fared at lightning speed.

Fared turned on one of the computers in the lab. He plugged a flash drive into the desktop he had activated. The password was successfully bypassed. Fared searched for important files.

He found digital blueprints, but they were all locked. Using the computer, he installed software from his black flash drive.

The files were successfully hacked. Fared read the blueprints within the files—complete information about Artificial Intelligence, including detailed building maps. It was incredibly helpful to him.

He grabbed a laptop from a trolley and connected it to the supercomputer with a cable. The connection failed. He activated all his hacking software, but none could breach the supercomputer.

Fared was shocked and began to worry. Then he had an idea. He plugged a hard disk into the lab computer and installed all his software onto it. He hacked the lab computer and successfully accessed the supercomputer.

The supercomputer wouldn't allow any external devices to connect to it except through the lab's existing computers. Fared tried connecting the supercomputer to the internet. It worked.

He then hacked the supercomputer to keep it constantly linked to his personal computer at home, allowing him to access information anytime. The hack succeeded.

Fared dove into the supercomputer via the lab computer. It was connected to the robots in the lab. He bypassed the password and took control of the robots.

Though the robots were inactive, their mind systems were operational within the supercomputer. Fared sat calmly for a moment. Then he stood and approached a computer connected to a machine resembling a human brain, but made of metal and wires.

He turned on the computer and inserted his black flash drive. He connected a hard disk with a cable. All the data from the computer was copied and transferred to Fared's hard disk.

He linked the computer to the lab's Wi-Fi. A warning appeared on the screen, stating that the internet could affect the Artificial Intelligence and might cause damage due to computer viruses.

Fared connected the supercomputer to the internet. Automatically, various security software activated. The monitor displayed "DIVE MODE." Fared entered a server he had built himself. "Cleanup Mode" appeared on the screen.

He entered a password and email. The connection was successful. For the final step, Fared copied all the data and transferred it to his server.

Storing it in the server—or "cloud"—made it easier for him to save information without relying on a hard disk. Fared rested for a moment and glanced at his smartphone. He smiled faintly.

After managing the supercomputer, Fared took pictures of the lab with his smartphone—blueprints, research results, robots, and files from the cabinets and lab desks.

He shut down the computer, entered the elevator, and pressed the button to go up. Once again, he checked his smartphone. He played old CCTV footage.

No password was needed to reach the 22nd floor, but the 23rd floor required one. However, the 23rd floor was different from the others.

Based on the CCTV footage, there were no doors, no pathways, and no entry points except for a thick, sturdy metal door. The password could only be entered via the elevator buttons.

Fared examined the video, zooming in. A man entered the password. Fared could read it. He closed his smartphone and pressed the button to go up.

"22nd floor," the speaker announced.

The elevator doors opened automatically. Once again, Fared was stunned. The 22nd floor was filled with supercomputers. It was practically inhabited by them. Wires were neatly connected across the floor.

Fared entered the supercomputer room. He pulled a cleaning contractor's trolley and placed it beside the supercomputers. On the 22nd floor, the supercomputers were neatly arranged in rows. Fared walked around, observing.

There were only supercomputers and their connected wires. He studied the wires and followed them. After examining nearly all the supercomputers, he found the master supercomputer.

As usual, Fared connected the master supercomputer to his laptop with a USB cable. He activated all his software and bypassed the password. Hacking the master supercomputer failed.

He had anticipated this—it wasn't easy to hack a floor full of supercomputers. He kept trying, but to no avail. The supercomputers couldn't be connected to the internet. He plugged his flash drive into his laptop. Still no success.

Fared explored the supercomputers by accessing them through his laptop. Then he had an idea. Quickly, he searched the settings. The 22nd-floor supercomputers successfully connected to the internet by linking to other supercomputers outside the floor. The internet connection was established.

All the data was copied and sent to the server Fared had built earlier. The server replaced expensive hard disks but could only be accessed with an internet connection.

Fared wondered how to download the massive amount of data stored in the server. He unplugged the USB cable since the supercomputers were now set to continuously send data to his server. He packed his hacking tools back into the cleaning contractor's trolley.

He opened his smartphone. The time showed 1 a.m. It was too late. Next, he headed to the 23rd floor—the final floor to infiltrate. He entered the password on the elevator buttons.

The sturdy metal gate opened. Fared was shocked. The 23rd floor was like a small factory building humanoid Artificial Intelligence robots. Some robots were handmade, some hung from fixtures, others lay on metal tables, and a few were being assembled by scientists.

Fared opened his smartphone and scanned for Wi-Fi signals. He connected successfully. He tapped the screen a few times. "Connection successful" appeared on his phone.

"Hey! Who are you!?" shouted one of the scientists.

Startled, Fared pressed the elevator's close button. The doors shut, and he pressed the button for the ground floor. One of the scientists quickly pulled the elevator's safety trigger. The elevator, which had just started moving, stopped at the 22nd floor. Fared ran out into the 22nd floor.

"Police, we have an intruder in the main building of 'Artifact Intellect' Company! Emergency! The intruder is on the 22nd floor. There's no way out from there," one of the scientists called the police from the 23rd floor.

Fared ran along the wall, touching it. His hand hit something hard, causing him intense pain. He groped the wall, certain he had struck something on its surface. Suddenly, he touched something solid and round, connected to something else.

He twisted the invisible round object. His hand disappeared as if sinking into the wall. He pulled the doorknob. It turned out to be an emergency fire escape staircase hidden behind a hologram projecting a fake wall—just a hologram.

Leaving the fire escape door open, Fared dashed to the elevator, where the cleaning contractor's trolley kept the doors from closing.

"The elevator isn't moving," said one of the scientists checking the building's security system from the robotics lab computer.

Fared grabbed his belongings from the trolley and ran to the fire escape stairs. He descended quickly to the 20th floor, then exited and ran to another staircase. He continued downward at a rapid pace.

"All CCTV cameras are down!" said one scientist.

"Shut down the elevator system!" said another.

Fared raced down the stairs, drenched in sweat, his clothes soaked. It took an agonizingly long time to escape using the stairs. Had he used the elevator, he'd have been trapped and caught long ago—prison would've been his new home.

He paused briefly and checked his smartphone, accessing the building's security system via Wi-Fi. As expected, all elevators were locked and disabled. He checked the CCTV cameras.

Three police cars were outside the building, and several officers were climbing the stairs. Fared checked the CCTV for the staircase he was on—no police. The building had four staircases; three were being used by officers. Luckily, no police were on the one Fared was descending.

He continued down, monitoring the CCTV on his phone. The elevators couldn't be reactivated via his phone since true access was from the 23rd floor. He was startled by the CCTV feed—some officers were climbing the same staircase he was on.

He checked his phone again. All elevators were in emergency mode, their doors locked and descending to the ground floor automatically. Fared hurried down the stairs.

The officers on his staircase had just reached the 5th floor, while he was on the 12th. He kept descending. The officers reached the 7th floor. Fared was now at the 10th. He exited the fire escape, closed the door, and waited for the officers to pass the 10th floor.

Terrified, he listened to the sound of rapid footsteps climbing the stairs. Finally, the officers passed the 10th floor. He opened his phone, waiting for them to reach the 13th floor so they wouldn't hear him escaping down the same stairs. Once they hit the 13th, Fared bolted downward.

Before fleeing, he stopped by the cleaning contractor's room. He hung the contractor uniform neatly back in the closet with a hanger.

Then he exited the 'Artifact Intellect' building through the emergency fire exit and sprinted past the fence. A police officer leaning against a car, smoking, noticed Fared running past the fence.

"Hey! Stop!" the officer shouted.

Fared sped up, running as fast as he could. The officer who shouted jumped into his car and started it, but Fared had already hopped onto his motorcycle and sped off, leaving the area behind. He rode at breakneck speed, smiling joyfully and laughing. Tears streamed from his eyes. He had escaped.

The next morning, several journalists arrived at the 'Artifact Intellect' building, along with investigators like CSI, police officers, and detectives assigned to investigate the previous night's incident. But there were no clues except for the trolley blocking the elevator door.

"If there's no theft or sabotage, we might need cyber police or the CSI cyber division," said a burly detective with a stern, commanding face—square-jawed, wearing dark sunglasses and a formal suit.

"Mr. Hill," called a Chinese CSI agent to the detective, Mr. Hill.

"Yes, what is it? Any new leads?"

"There are, but we need to check the 21st floor. It's the last place the suspect was, where the trolley was left at the elevator door. We're not sure how they—or anyone—escaped. That floor has no windows or exits except the elevator. Escaping through it seems impossible since the trolley kept the doors from closing."

"Good Lord, what kind of magic is this?" said Mr. Hill.

"Mr. Faisal said he saw someone running out of the building past the fence. He couldn't catch them. The staff suspect the intruder was among the cleaning contractors," said the Chinese CSI agent. "The supercomputer hack in the lab, where many young night-shift workers were, happened when a cleaning contractor was present. They suspect that worker hacked the supercomputer," he added.

"We need to meet the cleaning contractor manager to interrogate all their employees," said Mr. Hill.

A Chinese detective approached, his name tag reading "Mr. Khan." He removed his glasses and looked at the CSI agent.

"Let me investigate the 21st-floor supercomputer. I think the intruder wanted something. There's no theft, but they might've taken something from the supercomputers without leaving a trace. I mean, they wanted the data."

Mr. Hill nodded slightly, his expression saying, "Fair enough."

"The intruder was caught on CCTV, but no footage was saved. How could that happen?" asked Mr. Hill.

"First, it's likely the intruder climbed the fence and hacked the Wi-Fi. That's how the CCTV was compromised—hacked up close. Then they wore a cleaning contractor uniform, infiltrated the supercomputer room, and left the trolley at the elevator. But how did they escape? There's no way out," explained Mr. Khan.

"According to the officer who saw the suspect last night, they were dressed in all black. Where did they hide the contractor uniform? In a desperate moment, they must've taken it home and burned it. We don't have time to search house to house. That's ridiculous," said Mr. Hill to Mr. Khan.

"It seems there's no evidence. The case might need to be closed," said Mr. Kweng to Mr. Hill and Mr. Khan after exiting the 'Artifact Intellect' building.

All three sighed. There were no clues from the CCTV. Meanwhile, a woman watched her employee investigate a computer connected to the supercomputers. The bespectacled male worker diligently explored it.

"This is as far as I can go, Madam Ng," said the worker, whose name tag hanging around his neck read "Lee."

"I'll take it from here," said the woman.

"Yes, ma'am," said Lee.

The woman named 'Ng' took over the employee's task and delved deeper into the 22nd-floor supercomputers. Madam Ng discovered something. Lee was shocked, his eyes wide and mouth agape.

"We have to report this to the police!" said her employee.

"No, no need," Madam Ng replied with a smile.

Fared yawned in front of his computer while working at his desk. He stood up and left his office. Standing by the vending machine, he inserted a few RM1 notes.

He yawned again. He bought three cans of cold coffee, returned to his office, and sat back down. Opening one can, he drank it. His eyes were drooping. Fared resumed his work.

By 3 p.m., Fared was still focused on building a robot in his garage office, listening to metalcore rock music. The robot now had legs, though it still lacked a head. Its fingers were also incomplete.

The wired robot sat on the floor, leaning against the wall, connected to Fared's computer. Fared programmed it, smiling with satisfaction. He typed on the keyboard, entering various letters and numbers into the programming software.

After focusing on the code, he uploaded it to the robot. The robot moved its body, straightened up, and shifted its legs. Now, Fared's robot stood.

Fared shouted with joy, overwhelmed with happiness. He opened his smartphone, turned on the camera, and recorded his first robot. He placed the phone on the table, its camera facing the robot. The headless robot stood firm.

"Assalamualaikum, Rahman," Fared greeted as he entered Rahman's office.

"Waalaikummussalam," replied Rahman, who was working with Ah Cheong.

"Oh, Ah Cheong," said Fared.

"Yeah, what's up?" asked Ah Cheong.

"Nothing. I just need to ask Rahman something," Fared replied.

"Oh, by the way, let's eat at Kamil's restaurant," said Rahman.

"Ehhh?????" Fared exclaimed, surprised.

"Come on," Rahman said, gently pushing Fared out of the office.

"What's up?" Rahman asked Fared.

"Help me build a robot head," Fared requested.

"For someone as smart as you, you can't build a robot head?"

"How about once it's done, we put my robot at your house?" Fared suggested.

"No way, you'd probably record my wife and kids' private moments with its camera," Rahman teased.

"Whoa, Rahman, I'm not a creep, you know!" Fared retorted.

"Maybe. What do you plan to do with the robot?"

"Actually, I just wanted to offer it to you since you're helping me build its head. Once it's finished, it'd be a gift for your help," Fared explained.

"Hahaha, no worries. Use it for yourself," Rahman replied.

"Alright, just help me build the head," said Fared.

"I'm fine with that. Any costs?" Rahman asked.

"No costs. I've already bought everything. We'll use recycled parts. The program's ready—just need to build the head."

"Oh, cool. Let's head home then. It's 5 p.m. We'll meet tomorrow."

"Kamil's restaurant?" Fared asked Rahman.

"Tomorrow, I'll treat you to a meal."

"Nice! Thanks, Rahman!"

At Fared's home, he opened his laptop and connected to Wi-Fi. Near the entrance of his room stood a supercomputer he had built. He opened a file labeled "Artifact Intellect Device" and explored all the data from the 'Artifact Intellect' company.

Then he opened another file containing blueprints for a robot head from a different company, 'Banjaran Moden.' Fared reviewed the data from 'Banjaran Moden.'

Fared was soldering wires onto electronic circuit chips. He connected multiple small chips vertically to another board using a soldering tool. He soldered more chips and USB connectors.

"You're up early," Rahman said to Fared as he entered the work garage.

"God, give a greeting first!" Fared jumped, startled.

"What are you doing?" Rahman asked.

"I'm building Artificial Intelligence. This is just the brain," Fared explained.

"Is this what you're making? The robot head?" Rahman asked.

"No, no, the head's already here—the one you brought yesterday from the scrapyard. That's where I got it," Fared clarified.

"Oh, now I get it. Want to attach the head now?" Rahman asked.

"Yeah, it's a bit tricky to attach, which is why I need your help."

"Alright, I'll help," Rahman said enthusiastically.

Fared prepared the tools to attach the robot head. Rahman inspected it, checking the neck. He was puzzled. Taking an electronic screwdriver, he examined and unscrewed the neck.

He removed the screws and detached it. Some wires were nearly severed, others rusted. Rahman grabbed a spool of thin wire, cut it, and replaced the rusted ones.

He soldered the nearly broken wires, reconnecting them properly. He melted special plastic to insulate the wires.

Fared inspected the upper body where the neck should connect. It was empty. Using his smartphone's camera light as a flashlight, he checked it—no damage.

Rahman brought the robot head over. Fared was ready to attach it. Rahman positioned the neck onto the body, and Fared secured it while Rahman held the head. Fared smiled happily. The neck was successfully attached. He stretched his fingers.

"Let's try moving the neck. We can test it now or later since it's fully attached," Fared said.

"Let's control it with the existing program," Rahman suggested.

Fared sat down, opened his computer software, and controlled the robot. It turned its gaze toward Fared and Rahman.

"This robot can only do housework and protect its owner," Fared explained.

"Oh, like a regular robot? A housemaid robot?" Rahman asked.

"More than just a housemaid. Let's see how it goes," Fared replied.

"Alright, if there's any change or addition, let me know," Rahman said.

"With that, I need your help again. Can you take this robot to my house?" Fared asked.

"Uh, I think so, as long as it's not too heavy," Rahman replied.

"At 6 p.m., bring it to my place. Go home first, then come over around 5:30 or 6," Fared added.

"Okay."

At 6 p.m., Rahman arrived at 'Terminal Vector' company. Fared opened the entrance door. A robot walked out slowly. Rahman's jaw dropped as it walked alongside Fared.

Fared smiled and nodded. He instructed the robot to follow him. It trailed behind as Fared walked to the parking lot. He told it to open the back passenger door of Rahman's car.

The robot grabbed the handle and opened it. Snap! The handle broke off. Rahman was shocked to see his car door damaged. Fared slapped his forehead. Rahman looked glum, a hint of regret on his face. The robot sat in the back seat.

"You're paying for that, Fared. The back door's wrecked," Rahman said, frowning.

"Okay, okay, sorry," Fared apologized.

"Wow!!! Robot! Robot! Robot!" shouted kids at the apartment complex, watching it follow Fared.

"Wave to them," Fared instructed.

The robot waved at the cheering kids. Their shouts grew louder, repeatedly calling out "robot." The children were thrilled. At Fared's home, he told the robot to lean against the wall. Fared and Rahman shook hands, both smiling.

That night, the clock showed 8 p.m. Fared was busy programming, opening several files. He reviewed all the data he had infiltrated. Restlessness and unease were evident on his face. Building Artificial Intelligence was getting harder. He grabbed a bottle of mineral water and drank.

At 9 a.m., Fared and Rahman stood before the board of directors in a meeting room, dressed neatly. The board members eyed them. Both were slightly nervous.

"The patrol robot project is approved, but there are procedures to follow. You'll face various meetings and need to manage several tasks. We, the board, have discussed that you'll need a team to succeed. The faster, the better—society and the government need it. You're free to choose team members from a list we've prepared. Good luck and keep up the effort," said the founder of 'Terminal Vector,' also the board chairman.

"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you so much, Chairman," Fared said to the board.

Rahman took the list of proposed team members for the latest robot project led by Fared.

"You may adjourn," said the chairman.

Fared and Rahman quickly left the meeting room. Fared smiled at Rahman, who smiled back. Fared rushed back to his office.

At noon, Rahman entered Fared's office. Fared was engrossed in programming. Rahman pulled a chair and sat beside him.

"Have you decided who'll work with us?" Rahman asked.

"I think when the collaboration starts, I'll pick members from other companies. I don't fully trust people here," Fared said.

"I have people I trust. Tomorrow night, I'll introduce them to you," Rahman replied.

"Tomorrow night? Where?" Fared asked.

"There's a party—a dinner at Mr. Harris's mansion. I just want to eat. You should come too. Since everyone will be there, it's a good chance to meet them," Rahman said.

"Okay," Fared agreed.

At the lively night event at Mr. Harris's luxurious mansion, many attended the robotic arm success celebration. Men and women filled the grand house. The main hall's lights resembled an English palace's royal chandelier.

A red carpet adorned the floor, and flowers were arranged like a garden. Various foods lined the tables—turkey, fried chicken, fried squid, honey chicken, roasted pig with an apple in its mouth, a fountain of liquor, barrels of fruit juices, and neatly arranged expensive liquor bottles of various brands.

Fared stood at the entrance, not yet past the mansion's gate. The crowd was overwhelming. In front of him, people wore lavish, stunning outfits.

Women from his company wore eye-catching dresses with slits and accessories. Fared averted his gaze, searching for Rahman. Rahman sat at a table with friends.

Fared walked to Rahman's table. Rahman turned and laughed.

"Here, milk mixed with fruit—halal. The food here is halal, don't worry. We've gathered all the halal stuff," Rahman chuckled.

Fared looked frazzled. He took an empty chair next to Rahman and sat.

"Eat a bit first. We can talk while eating."

Fared, Rahman, and Rahman's friends ate together, enjoying the meal heartily. Fared and Rahman ate a lot, laughing and having fun. Suddenly, a glass was tapped. A well-groomed man in a striking black suit, exuding wealth, spoke.

"Attention, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for attending. We, the board, are proud of your success with the robotic arm project. Enjoy the feast, courtesy of Mr. Harris—you deserve it," said the event chairman.

"Before that, Mr. Harris, accompanied by Mr. Borhan, will present an appreciation award to Mr. Ah Cheong for successfully managing the robotic arm project. Please welcome them," the chairman added.

"Wait, I thought it'd be me," Rahman said, surprised.

"What's this, Rahman?" Fared laughed.

"That's what happens when Ah Cheong's in a project. He's always the face—others work hard, but he swoops in, reports everything, and becomes the spokesperson. He loves collecting credit, then uses it to get what he wants. His reputation just grows," Rahman explained.

"I definitely don't want Ah Cheong in our group project. He'd take everything, leaving us with nothing," Fared said, lowering his head.

Fared grabbed some delicious pastries and ate heartily.

"Here are my trusted friends. Meet Aizat, Haikal, Hadi, Haziq, and Diana. Seven's enough with you and me, Fared," Rahman said.

Fared smiled and shook hands with Aizat, Haikal, Hadi, and Haziq, but not Diana. She smiled politely, dressed modestly in a long hijab, white skin glowing, and a traditional outfit—the only woman in modest attire. Others wore revealing dresses, showing parts a woman shouldn't publicly display.

Aizat, Haikal, and Haziq were Rahman's close friends; Hadi was his childhood buddy. Fared felt a pang hearing how Rahman met them. He resumed eating the delicious food.

"Dude, don't you want to try the roast pig? It's over there—must be tasty," Haziq teased Fared, laughing.

"Have you tried it?!" Fared shot back playfully.

The seven of them laughed loudly at the table, eating to their hearts' content. Later, they left the mansion and strolled through its beautiful garden. Fared chatted happily with his new friends.

Music played inside, and people danced—men and women swaying. Aiman danced with a roast pig's head on a plate, eating it as he moved.

"Swear, that's crazy," Haziq said.

Fared and his friends burst into laughter at Aiman's less-than-Islamic antics. What could they do? This was modern, liberal Malaysia.

The next morning, Fared and his friends—except Diana—discussed in his office. Fared programmed while talking with Rahman and the others, who also worked on coding.

"We could improve the patrol robot's internals," Hadi said.

"I agree. The project can start next month, but we'll kick off a new one this week," Haziq said.

"So enthusiastic," Aizat said to Haziq.

"The faster, the better," Fared said, stretching.

A camera was set up on a monopod. Fared activated face recognition software. It detected Hadi's face as he fiddled with it. Haziq welded a square patrol robot frame.

"Looks good," Haikal said.

"What about the computer chips? Soldered yet? We need the robot's internals ASAP," Fared said.

"Relax," Haikal replied.

"The test will succeed—that's what matters," Rahman said.

"We need engines, motors—smaller is better. We might need collaboration for this patrol robot," Aizat said.

"Engine experts, power generation specialists, motor pros, and more," Fared added.

"Diana's in robotics. Why not ask her to research?" Hadi suggested.

"Great idea," Rahman said.

"Face recognition's done, movement possibilities too, and GPS. Just waiting on other parts," Fared said.

"Fared, you're a genius," Haikal said.

"Thanks, Rahman. I owe you," Fared said at noon.

"This is just the start. Thank them too for volunteering to make your project succeed," Rahman replied.

Fared and Rahman sat in the cafeteria, eating fried noodles together, discussing Fared's project. Fared was deeply grateful to Rahman for introducing his friends.

At 5 p.m., Fared parked his motorcycle at the apartment lot and walked into the building. Uncles and aunties greeted him warmly.

"Fared, your robot's amazing! It's like a person—sweeping everywhere, keeping the area spotless," said a skinny old man with a cane.

"It even watches the kids playing around here, making sure they don't get hit by cars," added an auntie sitting with others.

"Thank you, sir and ma'am. It still needs improvement—not good enough yet. I'll think about it," Fared said, smiling.

"Welcome back, sir. How was your day?" the robot asked Fared.

The uncles and aunties clapped excitedly as Fared's robot greeted him home from work. Fared told it to follow him home. The elderly waved and called to it; the robot waved back. Fared smiled, shyly proud.

At 8:20 p.m., Fared opened 3D software, designing various 3D shapes and weapons. He started an experiment, adjusting a camera holder. The infrared scanner light activated.

He took out a revolver replica and placed it on a green cloth on the floor. Standing lights at each corner of the cloth were turned on. Fared aimed the camera at the replica.

The scan succeeded—the camera detected it, and the software automatically displayed the data. He turned off one corner light.

Another scan succeeded, with data logged automatically. A third scan, with another light off, succeeded too. The final light was turned off—scanning failed.

He increased the infrared strength to identify the weapon. Scanning succeeded, and data was logged.

Fared got up from leaning on his bed and turned off the room's lights. Only his laptop screen and the camera's infrared light remained. He sat back down.

Scanning started—50% successful. He boosted the infrared again, adjusting it to ambient brightness and tweaking exposure.

The camera now worked automatically. He added a flashlight, programming it as a torch or a light pulse to aid the infrared in detecting weapons.

Fared exhaled. Much work remained beyond the patrol robot's auto-security camera. He paused to think.

The next morning, Fared, Rahman, Haikal, Hadi, Haziq, and Aizat busied themselves building a patrol robot prototype.

"Done!" Haikal said.

"Nice, praise God, the brain's ready. The body's set, wheels attached, one camera as its eye—a scout," Rahman said, checking the system on his computer.

"One eye might not cut it. What if it's dark or raining? It won't see, and battery life's short—moving it takes a lot of power," Aizat pointed out.

"Let's test its movement first. Prioritize the essentials, then split tasks," Hadi said.

"You guys have great ideas," Haikal said.

"Where's Diana?" Rahman asked.

"She's handling the report and paperwork," Fared replied.

"Hey, Fared, got plans for Diana?" Aizat teased.

"Idiot, I've got no intentions toward her—crazy," Fared snapped.

"You should plan. Giving her reports and paperwork? Easy way to win her over. She's pretty, modest, an end-times wife material—top-tier," Aizat said.

"Hey!" Fared yelled at Aizat.

"Just marry her, Fared. Your soul's itching—propose already," Rahman teased, laughing.

Fared stormed out of his office. Everyone burst into loud laughter, unable to focus on work, tickled silly. Aizat laughed the hardest.

At 2 p.m., Fared checked his computer, opening the software. He tested the square robot's wheels—they worked perfectly, turning, moving forward, left, right, and back.

The wires from his computer to the robot stayed intact. Rahman's friends did quality work. Fared smiled alone, satisfied. He attached his custom camera to the robot, securing it with small screws and a metal plate.

He closed his office door, activated the patrol robot, and unplugged it from the computer. The software launched, and Fared set it to move automatically.

The robot rolled around the office randomly, its wheels acting as legs. The camera scanned the floor, chairs, walls, and table legs. A notification popped up—it couldn't detect some objects.

More improvements were needed. Fared checked its path on his computer and directed it back to its starting point. It returned swiftly. Fared chuckled.

"Assalamualaikum, Fared," Rahman greeted at the office door.

"Waalaikummussalam," Fared replied.

"Wow, you upgraded the patrol robot yourself—camera and all. You're serious about this," Rahman praised.

"It's nothing—just God's gift. No matter how smart I am, if He doesn't allow it, this robot wouldn't move," Fared said humbly.

"I want to help too. Don't build this alone. What's the issue?" Rahman asked.

"I need data—3D shapes of our surroundings. It'd be easier with advanced scanners like Western archaeologists use. They're vital—and expensive," Fared explained.

"Don't worry about that. God willing, the board will fund your project. We can buy what we need. The money will go into your account," Rahman assured.

"Seriously?" Fared asked.

"Yes, the company's investing RM7 million in this. No joke. Diana told me, and I'm telling you. I'm serious," Rahman said, convincing Fared.

"Praise God, thank you, Lord," Fared said, slumping into his chair, stunned by the good news.

"Stop using your own money. Use the company's fully. They're giving it to you because your proposal stood out. You're the only worker who's patient and determined. You've always been a team player, working tirelessly. You're the company's golden child now—not Ah Cheong. The board can smell his moves in every project," Rahman explained.

Fared smiled to himself. Rahman smiled back, sharing his joy.

"You're awesome, Fared. You do your work, never bothering others. I wrote past project reports—your name's all over them. You grind to finish things," Rahman praised.

"Ah Cheong hates you for it. He doesn't know I credited you in past projects because you're diligent. Diana wrote this one—no Ah Cheong. Don't give up. Replace him as the company's new icon—you deserve it."

"Alright, I'm tired. I'll grab a drink. Let's chat later. I need you to scan everything in the world, describe it clearly. These robots are newborns—they need to learn," Fared told Rahman.

"Sure, mate, whatever you need," Rahman smiled.

The next morning, rain poured heavily. Fared watched it fall, refreshing his mind and cooling his heart briefly. He sipped a can of coffee—invigorating.

"Rainy days—can this patrol robot move in rain? Won't it get damaged?" Haziq asked.

"God, Haziq, since when are you this smart?" Hadi teased jokingly.

Haziq pretended to faint like a fool. Rahman, Fared, Aizat, Haikal, and Diana laughed at Hadi and Haziq's antics. Fared pointed at Haikal, nodding.

"I want to study how to make it waterproof," Haziq said.

"Waterproof top to bottom!" Fared clapped, impressed by Haziq's helpful concern.

"Diana, Haikal, and I will handle it," Diana volunteered.

"Rahman and I will focus on object detection via camera and infrared," Fared said.

"Nice, what about me?" Hadi asked.

"You and Aizat email or call the National Security Council, Police Headquarters, and National Registration Department. Next month, we'll get special supercomputers for these robots. We can build their A.I. directly. Contact those offices—maybe we can enhance security and collaborate on patrol robot trials. We'll learn their procedures through you two, and we'll all help later," Rahman directed Hadi and Aizat.

"Great, let's get back to work!" Fared said eagerly.

"Fared, let's map the factory so the robot knows where it can move and its limits. The board will love this," Rahman suggested.

"Awesome. How about it only listens to you and me?" Fared said.

"No, let Haziq, Hadi, and Diana handle presentations. We'll work behind the scenes so Ah Cheong doesn't know you're involved," Rahman explained.

"Alright, your plan's solid," Fared agreed, appreciating Rahman's thorough strategy.