Zhao Lun, having eaten and drunk to his fill, did not rest, but returned to his laboratory.
The others watched his disappearing figure, exchanging looks of confusion. The meaning was clear—didn't he just say it was finished? Why was he back? Despite their doubts, they all got up and followed him into the laboratory.
The walls of the laboratory were fitted with many transparent, spotless glass panes. Aside from these, the original equipment had been moved to the adjacent room, leaving a lot of space in the middle. It now appeared much emptier than usual, and the floor had been replaced with a new layer. These floors, though specially made, were inconspicuous, and no one noticed them.
Zhao Lun was inside this side room, taking out a prepared box and placing it on a cleared space before connecting the necessary wires.
An object nearly two meters tall was assembled, surrounded by a network of wires. After checking it over for any issues, he retrieved several iron-like plates, attaching them with a few clicks, completely covering the wiring. Only a single connection port remained visible, with not a single gap elsewhere.
The outer casing was primarily waterproof and moisture-resistant, serving as protection.
"Okay!" After one last inspection, Zhao Lun clapped his hands. He then pulled a wire from the side and inserted it into the connection port to power it up.
Here, the electricity was provided by a small generator they had prepared, which generated power through wind, storing it while also being used. They did not have to worry about power outages.
"Is it done?" The others, still in a daze, couldn't understand. After nearly a month of effort, all they had was what looked like an ordinary box? But this box had an air of mystery—could it be some kind of treasure?
"Yes, it's basically done. Now we just need to power it on. The film has already been connected, it's just a matter of flipping the switch. The switch is here, and now it's ready." While speaking, he emerged from the side room, opening a hidden panel in the wall and pressing a switch inside.
"Now, we're done!"
The glass on the wall hummed with a sound reminiscent of a television struggling to get a signal, followed by a faint buzzing, then suddenly cleared, forming a logo.
A deep, expansive kingdom, a phoenix with wings spread, a shield, sword, and staff, all combined into a painting. Upon closer inspection, one could discern many pieces of information from this image.
The script included ancient and rare characters from China and other countries.
Within the image, blurred figures could be seen, including Zhao Lun's, Maria's, Angela's, and Nicole's. Their images were not as conspicuous as Zhao Lun's; without careful study, they were hard to detect.
The logo was grand and majestic, mysterious and solemn. As soon as it appeared, the people around him were entranced, their minds filled with this logo.
Though it appeared simple, it was complex, blending simplicity and complexity together.
It was the most creative logo they had ever seen, its message like an ancient masterpiece, full of artistic flavor, yet also reminiscent of an ancient book, drawing one to learn more.
The logo disappeared, and the final image was of a woman with wine-red hair, dressed in modern white-collar attire, standing at 1.77 meters. A beam of light projected onto the wall, forming a three-dimensional image. The holographic projection floated in the air, looking as if a real person had materialized.
"..." Upon seeing her appear, the laboratory fell silent. They gazed at the beautiful figure before them. Even those as pretty as they were felt somewhat inferior in comparison.
They had never seen such a flawless beauty. Men would love her, and women would love her too, without jealousy. Her beauty transcended borders; no matter the country, no matter the aesthetic, people would be captivated by her charm.
"Athena, activate!"
The voice of the image was sweet, like the sound of jade chimes, her eyes sparkling as she seemed to walk toward them.
"Mr. Allen, Athena at your service."
She greeted Zhao Lun first, then turned to the others.
"Hi, everyone! I'm Athena, Mr. Allen's intelligent housekeeper. Nice to meet you. I look forward to working with you."
The figure stood still, as vivid and lifelike as a real human.
The others, instinctively, introduced themselves.
"Hello, I'm Monica, Mr. Allen's assistant."
"Hello, I'm Nicole."
"Hello, I'm Angela, or you can call me Azhi, my name in Chinese."
"I'm the boss's bodyguard, Hodar. This is my wife, Elena, and this is my daughter, Sandy."
"…Aida."
Sandy shyly hid behind her mother, her large eyes curious as she watched everything. She wanted to greet Athena but was a bit scared, feeling shy around strangers.
"I'm Maria, Mr. Allen's sister. You're his intelligent housekeeper? You're so beautiful! Look here, this is Ivy, Grayshadow, Snow, and Prince, all pets of my brother and me. Oh, and Snowshadow and Quickflash—they're outside..."
"Are they the ones?" Athena waved her hand, and two snow-sculpture-like holographic projections appeared in front of everyone. They were resting in their nests.
"Yes, that's them!"
"Wow, Athena, you're amazing!"
The group marveled again, surprised by her abilities.
"How is it? Not bad, huh?" Zhao Lun grinned.
"What is this?" The others were still confused.
"An intelligent housekeeper and holographic projection!" Zhao Lun replied.
"..." The group was still utterly baffled, unable to understand it. Maria, however, was so fascinated by the lifelike projection that she boldly approached it, attempting to touch it. She ended up walking straight through the projection.
"..." Zhao Lun couldn't help but laugh.
"Holographic projection is an early attempt at virtual imaging technology. It primarily uses interference and diffraction principles to record and reproduce an object's true three-dimensional image."
"...Of course, in the future, its applications will be vast. It could be used for interactive stage performances, research assistance, and even military command... its potential is limitless..."
Zhao Lun explained what he knew in simple terms for everyone.
"Is it really that important?" The group, unfamiliar with the technology, only knew that it was advanced and had great potential.
"Of course." Zhao Lun didn't bother to explain further. "If you don't get it, you can ask Athena."
Everyone started asking Athena questions, and Zhao Lun watched contentedly, satisfied with the situation.
Outside, the weather had turned gloomy again, and after a few days of brewing, the bad weather finally arrived with a crackle. It started with a few raindrops, then snowflakes followed, and in less than half an hour, the outside world had turned white.
"Wow, it's snowing!"
Before they knew it, Maria had joined them outside.