The new Marching Ant Company park, located in Qinhai District of Binhai City, covered over 300 acres.
At the heart of the park stood the main building—shaped like a ringed ant nest. Although its height was modest at just over 40 meters, its sprawling footprint was enormous. Its exterior was wrapped in irregularly shaped glass panels, giving it a futuristic and organic feel.
Inside, the building was more than just an office. It housed internal and external meeting rooms, restaurants, supermarkets, ATMs, gyms, cafés, and multi-purpose entertainment halls.
Every section felt like a chamber in an ant colony, connected by curved corridors and passageways. At the center of the ring-shaped layout was a glass-encased green space, completing the illusion of a living, breathing ant nest.
Crowds had gathered around the park—employees of the Marching Ant Company, buzzing with excitement. Nearby, members of the media stood with cameras, documenting the moment. However, access was restricted. They could only film in designated public areas—no photos were allowed near the research facilities.
After the lively inauguration ceremony, Chen Mo and Xiao Yu quietly left the scene and made their way into the main building. Zhao Min remained outside to handle the rest of the event coordination.
After configuring the facial recognition and fingerprint scanners, Chen Mo and Xiao Yu entered the office zone.
The hallway was bright, with lighting controlled by AI. Nearly every electrical device in the space could be operated remotely through the network—this was a true smart office environment.
And it was Chen Mo's personal domain.
His office was located on the highest floor of the nest. Besides the main workspace and lab, it included a private bedroom, gym, kitchen, and bathroom—everything needed to live and work without leaving the building.
When tired, he could simply rest here.
There was even a private elevator connecting directly to the underground lab. Alongside the main laboratory, a thermostatic clean room in the underground research institute housed high-precision equipment like lithography machines that required constant temperature control.
"How is it? Satisfied?" Xiao Yu asked.
Chen Mo nodded. "Much better than the old setup. What about the reserved empty area?"
"Over here," Xiao Yu said, leading him to a window and pointing to an isolated section of the park.
"That's the factory reserve zone. The necessary equipment has already been delivered. Three floors above ground, one underground. Security's being handled by Anan."
Chen Mo nodded.
That space had a special purpose. It would serve as his practice and research zone, a special facility where robots would eventually be stationed. It had to remain isolated.
"Chen Mo," Xiao Yu said, glancing at her phone, "Zhao Jie just contacted me. Your shipment has arrived. It's by the side entrance of the research institute. She asked me to let you know."
"Alright, let's go."
With one last glance around the office area, Chen Mo followed her out.
When they arrived at the side gate, Zhao Min was already waiting. She gestured toward two container trucks parked nearby.
"What's in there?" she asked, tone casual but eyes curious.
Ever since the transport began, Chen Mo had been unusually secretive. No one was allowed near the containers during the process. Even the company's own security team had escorted them under strict orders.
It was the first time Zhao Min had ever seen Chen Mo act this cautiously.
"You want to know?" Chen Mo grinned.
"Of course I do. Don't play coy," Zhao Min shot back, rolling her eyes.
After working together for so long, their dynamic was more like friends than boss and subordinate.
Chen Mo smiled and gave Wang Hai a signal. The security guard quickly moved to open the container doors.
Inside, rows of newly painted robots stood in perfect formation. Five robots per row, twelve rows in total—sixty robots, standing silently, their red eyes glowing as the doors opened.
It felt like a robot army had just been deployed.
While Marching Ant employees had seen Chen Mo's robot assistants before, this many at once was unprecedented. Even veterans like Yingyan (Hawkeye), White Pearl, and Anan were speechless at the sight.
Aside from Wang Hai, no one had known what was inside.
It looked straight out of a sci-fi film.
Zhao Min was stunned. She had seen as many as eight robots in the lab before—but sixty?
With another gesture from Chen Mo, the robots began to move. One by one, they stepped out of the container in perfect order, lining up on the empty space in front of the trucks. Their movements were smoother and more synchronized than a military parade.
These were the robot assistants Chen Mo had prepared for his new laboratory. The old lab had limited space. Here, he could finally deploy a full team.
Dozens of tireless, efficient assistants, available 24/7—that was the greatest advantage of robots.
"Have you solved the energy issue?" Zhao Min asked, eyes still fixed on the machines.
She'd long been paying attention to the robot project. This was set to be one of Marching Ant's flagship products—bringing intelligent robots into the daily lives of ordinary people.
"Production cost per unit is about 600,000 yuan," Chen Mo said. "But they can only run for six hours before needing a recharge."
"That's more than enough." Zhao Min nodded. "So… are we preparing for public release?"
"Start preparing," Chen Mo said. "First, study how people would actually use them. I still need to input the corresponding function modules and training data. Each unit needs to be tailored for specific uses."
"Got it." Zhao Min's expression lit up.
"Open the other container," Chen Mo said, pointing to the second truck.
Black Hawk and Anan moved quickly to unlock it.
This one didn't contain robots—but a series of sealed metal crates.
"What's in those?" Zhao Min asked, curiosity peaking. Even Xiao Yu perked up, ears practically twitching with interest.
She rarely asked about Chen Mo's research, and he rarely volunteered details.
"Something fun," Chen Mo replied cryptically, flashing a smile. Then, turning to the robot army: "Move these crates into the lab."
With that command, the robots turned in unison. Each pair carefully lifted a crate and began pushing it toward the institute.
The secrecy surrounding the crates made it obvious—they contained something extremely important. But Zhao Min didn't press. She trusted Chen Mo.
Once all the crates were inside, Chen Mo, Xiao Yu, and Zhao Min followed them into the lab.
"Still curious?" Chen Mo asked, glancing back at the two women.
"Of course," Zhao Min replied with a smirk.
"You just need to know it's very important. When the time is right, I'll tell you everything."
Zhao Min nodded slightly, knowing better than to push further.
Inside those crates were room-temperature superconducting materials. Once exposed, they would bring trouble beyond imagination—global agencies, intelligence operatives, spies… all eyes would turn toward Marching Ant Company. One misstep, and everything could be destroyed.
This technology didn't belong to the current era.
"For now," Chen Mo said, shifting the subject, "these robots will be stationed in the thermostatic clean lab. They'll assist me with experiments."
Although much of the lab was automated, certain delicate processes still required hands-on work. With risks too high for humans, robots were the safest option.
"You're becoming more and more mysterious," Zhao Min said, half-joking.
"Then let's keep it that way." Chen Mo smiled.
Through the glass wall, they watched as the robots suited up in clean gear and entered the dust-free lab, beginning their assigned tasks.
The lab was equipped with high-precision tools—lithography machines, nanotech-grade CNC machines, and more. When dealing with material processes accurate to the micron or nanometer, even a one-degree temperature fluctuation could ruin results.
The move to the new headquarters had made headlines. While the public took notice, it didn't stir major waves—just the next step in the evolution of the Marching Ant Company.
But for Chen Mo, it was the beginning of a new era.