Cai Liang sat on the couch in his villa when his phone suddenly rang, giving him a bad feeling.
"Is this Mr. Cai Liang? We're employees from the Marching Ant Company. Your order has arrived and needs to be signed for."
"Got it," Cai Liang replied.
He hung up and quickly rushed to open the door. Standing outside were two uniformed employees from the Marching Ant Company, and between them stood a large, two-meter-tall box. It looked like an oversized refrigerator, but Cai Liang knew exactly what was inside.
"Please help me bring it in," he said with a grin.
The employees carefully carried the massive box into the villa and set it down in the living room.
"Mr. Cai Liang, please inspect the contents and confirm receipt," one of them said, handing over the delivery papers.
"Alright."
Eager, Cai Liang grabbed a pair of scissors and began unpacking the box. A minute later, a humanoid figure wrapped tightly in protective bubble wrap—like a robotic mummy—was revealed.
Stripping off the layers, the Enchantress Robot emerged before him.
Painted in sleek blue with flowing lines and a futuristic design, it looked like it had stepped right out of a sci-fi film. The entire appearance exuded a high-tech, elegant feel.
As a die-hard robot enthusiast, Cai Liang was over the moon. Previously, these kinds of machines existed only in movies—now one stood in his living room.
He pressed the power button. The robot's red eyes lit up instantly.
"Hello. I am the Enchantress Robot by the Marching Ant Company. I am happy to serve you. Please verify owner identity."
One of the Marching Ant staff handed him the user manual.
"Mr. Cai Liang, you can now perform facial and voice recognition to bind the robot to your account. Up to three users can be authenticated.
If you'd like to control the robot remotely, simply scan the QR code or visit our official website to download the app. Enter the robot's serial number, register your account, and once connected to Wi-Fi, you can issue voice commands directly from your phone. This manual includes full details and important precautions."
Cai Liang nodded and accepted the instructions.
"If you'd like, we can assist with activation," the staff member added.
"No need. I'll figure it out myself," Cai Liang said, signing the delivery forms and handing them back.
"Lastly, the robot is programmed according to the Four Laws of Robotics. If you encounter any issues, feel free to contact our customer service. Enjoy your new companion."
Once the staff had left, Cai Liang carefully read through the manual. After confirming the setup steps, he began the authentication process.
"Master authentication successful. Please enter the robot's name."
Cai Liang beamed like a kid unboxing his dream toy. "Blue Girl."
"Name received: Blue Girl. Confirm?"
"Confirm."
"Name confirmed. Robot activation successful. The Enchantress Robot from Marching Ant Company is happy to serve you."
The robot's head turned toward him. "Master, what would you like Blue Girl to do?"
"Call me Liang-ge from now on," Cai Liang said excitedly.
"Okay, Brother Liang," the robot replied. "Do you need any help?"
"Get me a glass of water," he ordered with anticipation.
"Please wait a moment."
As the robot walked off to carry out the task, Cai Liang couldn't stop smiling. Scenes that used to exist only in sci-fi movies were now part of his real life. For a robot fanatic like him, this was pure bliss.
"Blue Girl, strike a pose. Let's take a photo together."
"Okay, yeah!" the robot responded enthusiastically.
With the arrival of the first batch of robots, customers began posting photos and videos on their social media feeds. What once existed only in science fiction had now become reality.
People were amazed at the cutting-edge tech from the Marching Ant Company.
Tests soon revealed that these intelligent robots had remarkable learning capabilities. With a bit of instruction, they adapted quickly to their owners' preferences—becoming more intuitive over time.
Only the wealthy could afford them at this stage, making the robots not only practical assistants but also status symbols. For high-profile figures, where human nannies or assistants might attract unwanted attention, robots could follow their owners discreetly and without complaint.
As more Enchantress Robots entered homes, they quickly went viral. But their sudden integration into everyday life also sparked a storm of public debate about robot ethics.
On major forums, discussion threads exploded:
"What if a robot commits murder? There were similar incidents—like the Japan case in 1981 and the one in Germany in 2015. These Enchantress robots have basic autonomy. If one kills, who's liable? The robot? Its owner? The Marching Ant Company?"
"The instruction manual outlines the Four Laws of Robotics:
A robot may not harm a human being, or through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
A robot must obey human orders, except where such orders conflict with the First Law.
A robot must protect its own existence, as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
The Zeroth Law—added in Robots and Empire—states: A robot must protect the overall interests of humanity, even if it conflicts with the other laws."
"Reply to floor 2: What if robots 'protect' humans by locking us in enclosed areas, feeding us like livestock? They wouldn't be harming us technically—and they'd still be obeying the laws. That's how they could control us."
"Floor 3, you're wrong. That scenario would violate the Zeroth Law—it harms humanity's broader interests. And without the Zeroth Law, the Second Law allows humans to issue shutdown commands that override behavior, unless it conflicts with Law One."
"So these laws protect humans—but what about animals? What if robots start killing wildlife? Is that allowed?"
"Reply to floor 5: Robots are just tools. Technology itself isn't guilty. If you hit someone with a car, the driver is responsible, not the vehicle. Same with robots—the owner is liable."
"But these robots can act on their own. What if one kills a rat without being told to? That's killing without instruction—doesn't that imply they have a natural inclination to kill?"
"Here's the scary part: What if robots interpret the laws in their own way? They might conclude that all living things on Earth are threats to humanity, and start exterminating everything. That still fits within their logic under the Zeroth Law."
Every major forum, comment section, and news outlet was ablaze with heated discussion.
The emergence of intelligent robots had forced society to confront long-standing fears—and future dilemmas. If these questions weren't addressed now, any real incident in the future could ignite massive controversy.
It became clear that the robot revolution wasn't just technological—it was social, ethical, and legal. And the world had just taken its first irreversible step forward.