At 6:00 AM, the fabric of space within the central terminal tore open like stressed silk, parting with a soundless, low-frequency hum that vibrated in the marrow rather than the ear.
A beam of stark, geometric light pierced the air, dropping from an unseen ceiling as if drawn by a master architect's hand. Within that brilliant column, the System began its delicate work. Pixels of condensed mana and raw data weaved together, threading through the void like golden filigree. First came the blueprint—a shimmering, translucent skeleton—followed by the rapid, rhythmic knit of muscle, vein, and flesh. The process was terrifyingly serene, an act of instantaneous creation where human anatomy was printed directly from code. Within seconds, the light collapsed inward, sealing the final layer of alabaster skin over his finely tailored male form.
The light vanished, leaving Tom standing in the sudden dark. He wore a simple, crisp waiter uniform bestowed by the system, fitting his lean, athletic frame to perfection.
For a long moment, he did not seem to breathe. Instead, he simply existed—a pristine, newly minted entity waiting for an initial command.
Then, the static gave way to sensation.
Prompting his eyelids to flutter open, his pupils glowed with the faint, iridescent sheen of an active interface. After drawing his first breath—a sharp, deliberate intake of air—his head canted slightly to the side. The movement was remarkably smooth, devoid of human hesitation yet utterly fascinating to witness.
He lifted his pale hand, turning it over to inspect his long, elegant fingers, flexing them as if testing the latency between his mind and his newly constructed body. Before he stepped forward, his feet made no sound against the polished floor as he swept his gaze across the expansive terminal. There was no fear in his expression, only the profound, boundless curiosity of a newly awakened servant measuring the world he had been built into.
Meanwhile, back in her private quarters, Zhao Yuan was jolted awake by her morning alarm. Shaking off the lingering exhaustion, she quickly got herself ready, brushing her hair and straightening her clothes before hurrying out to the main restaurant.
She was anxious to meet her new assistant. But as her eyes scanned the quiet, empty dining hall, a ripple of confusion washed over her. She wondered where on earth Tom could be. Just as she stepped toward the counter, she heard the heavy front door being pushed open and turned around to face him.
He greatly resembled his digital profile picture, appearing even more striking in person. Dressed impecuniously in the sharp waiter uniform, he commanded an effortless presence that made Zhao Yuan's eyes linger on his form for a moment, silently wondering how someone could look so impossibly good in basic work attire.
"Good morning, I am Zhao Yuan," she greeted smoothly after he walked up to her.
"Good morning. My name is Tom; I am your new assistant," he introduced himself, following standard system etiquette with flawless posture.
Hearing the rich, deep lilt of his voice, Zhao Yuan was thoroughly impressed. She offered a quick nod and guided him toward the rear kitchen area—a restricted zone where no resident or customer had ever set foot before.
"This is going to be your main area of operations," she explained, stepping back to allow him space to inspect the pristine, high-tech appliances and preparation stations.
"I don't know if I will be able to help you today, so you may have to serve all three meal times while I complete my external tasks," she continued, giving him time to take in the room. "You will also have to supervise everyone in the shelter—make sure they perform their assigned duties and that nothing goes wrong in the compound."
Tom listened quietly, offering a single, precise nod.
Seeing him nod again without uttering a word, Zhao Yuan frowned slightly, wondering why he was being so exceptionally reticent.
"Do you have any questions?" she asked directly.
Looking down at his shorter boss, Tom simply shook his head before returning his gaze to the kitchen layout, silently memorizing every corner.
Staring up at him, Zhao Yuan couldn't help but find him a little weird, but she merely shrugged it off and turned back toward her private residential corridor. However, as she reached her door, she noticed a shadow gliding right behind her.
Turning back in absolute surprise at the remarkably calm assistant, she finally couldn't hold back anymore and glared at him in mild alarm.
"Why are you following me?" she questioned, her posture stiffening.
Feeling confused by her sudden hostility, Tom quickly responded in his smooth, measured tone. "You have not told me where I will be staying when I am not working."
Hearing his logical words, Zhao Yuan was caught off guard, sputtering out a defensive question. "Am I supposed to offer you a place?"
Feeling a sudden wave of panic, she quickly approached her primary island workstation and began furiously typing out a query to the central control panel:
"Where does my assistant live?"
"If you click on the Assistant Icon and activate his official status, he will gain access to his dedicated living quarters, system permissions, and various restricted shelter areas," the system interface flashed back instantly.
Reading through the system's clear answer, Zhao Yuan let out a soft sigh of relief. She quickly navigated back to her main administrative dashboard, clicked on the glowing Assistant Icon, and activated Tom's official status within the network.
Across from her, Tom immediately felt a profound shift. A sleek, high-tech wristband—nearly identical to Zhao Yuan's tactical watch—materialized around his left wrist, accompanied by a sudden, massive influx of operational data, floor plans, and system clearance protocols streaming directly into his consciousness.
"Can you check now?" Zhao Yuan asked tentatively, noticing his eyes widen briefly before his expression relaxed back into calm composure as the wristband locked into place.
"Yes," Tom responded simply, standing perfectly still right in front of her door.
Zhao Yuan felt a sudden surge of frustration rising in her chest. "Then leave," she insisted, gesturing firmly toward the hallway.
Reading her clear annoyance, Tom quickly nodded. Without another word, he turned on his heel and swiftly exited her quarters to explore his newly unlocked domain.