Chapter Fifty-Five: Placing Structures

Led by a real estate agent with an explosive figure, the group spent an entire afternoon touring various styles and types of manors and villas, truly broadening their horizons. For the first time, Gao Ning genuinely felt a sense of being in the future during this tour.

Setting aside the size and style of the manors, the aesthetic tastes seemed to follow a single lineage—what existed now had existed decades ago. However, what was entirely absent were the highly intelligent home furnishings.

One lakeside villa left a particularly deep impression on Gao Ning. On the surface, it appeared to be an ordinary three-story apartment, but with the press of a button, it would transform directly into a cruise ship. The internal room configurations shifted like building blocks, rearranging into a completely different combination, and the villa's exterior morphed into a hull. Watertight armor covered the outside and a plasma shield activated, turning it into a ship capable of crossing the Pacific. It was truly astonishing.

The only shortcoming was that its power source was insufficient to supply an anti-gravity system, so it couldn’t fly.

There were also other bizarre styles, like underwater villas and cave dwellings. While these amazed Gao Ning, they also made him feel relieved—designers truly did think differently from ordinary people.

As Gao Ning had guessed, the prices for these villas were shockingly high. But since they backed onto the resort, their main purpose wasn’t sale but rental. Take the largest manor, which covered more than a dozen acres—the monthly rent alone was $200,000, while the purchase price hovered around $7 million. If they could rent it out for just two years, it would be as profitable as selling another house, so of course, they preferred to lease. The real estate agent subtly emphasized the benefits of renting. Most of the wealthy visitors came here for vacation and wouldn’t stay long-term. Buying a property required significant investment and hiring professionals for maintenance, while renting saved money and worry—it was the much wiser choice.

Gao Ning listened quietly, rarely expressing his opinions, but the agent noticed every subtle shift in his expression.

In the end, the lease contract was signed for that very manor. It was truly an outstanding estate, boasting expansive lawns, a private tennis court, and even a small soccer field. Within the grounds, there was a sizable artificial lake and a fishing platform exclusive to residents.

In front of the Downton Abbey-style ring-shaped villa lay an equally grand garden, which, despite being past the blooming season, still burst with vibrant flowers. Five rows of pine trees formed a natural barrier on all sides, turning the manor into a secluded paradise.

What satisfied Gao Ning the most, however, was the empty space at the center of the ring-shaped villa.

He immediately signed a two-month lease, with just one condition: the payment date was to be postponed by a month. After a brief check of Gao Ning’s spending tier, the real estate agent agreed without hesitation.

That night, the manor was ablaze with lights.

Gao Ning tapped to deploy, and the cement-paved open space suddenly cracked open. A massive recycling factory rose from the ground, instantly taking shape. Watching the mechanical arms gather at the top, a wave of familiarity washed over him. He had seen this countless times across screens, but this was his first time experiencing it in reality.

The paratrooper summons were impressive, but the awe in his heart couldn’t compare to witnessing the recycling factory rise from the earth.

Lights flickered. Gao the Second appeared, dragging a headless mechanical police officer, and casually threw it inside.

Buzz—clank—buzz.

The robotic arms rotated, compressing inward. After a soft crunch, the mechanical police officer was squashed into a ten-centimeter cube and sent underground.

Red Alert interface, upper right: 0—20,000.

Twenty thousand?

Gao Ning’s eyes nearly popped—just like that, he had twenty thousand? Was this broken thing really so valuable? At a fifty percent recycling rate, did that mean one mechanical police officer was worth forty thousand?

But then, considering the alternative: a human earning forty thousand a year versus a permanent mechanical police officer for the same price. Of course the government knew which to choose.

Still, it was a lot of money. But how would he get more of these things?

As soon as the thought arose, a dialog box appeared below the balance:

[Transfer Account] [Amount]

He entered a number, and his phone immediately displayed the transfer information. An unknown account had just transferred twenty thousand.

Unable to suppress a grin, Gao Ning said, “Starting tomorrow, spread the word—we’ll buy up mechanical police officers, unlimited, ten thousand apiece!”

Gao the Second squinted, one hand in his pocket, exhaling a plume of smoke.

Just as sunlight always casts a shadow, the dazzling wealth surrounding the resort was ringed by a shocking slum. A teeming mass of people survived like parasites, living off the resort. Their blood nourished its growth, even as they eked out their own existence.

They both yearned for and resented the resort; they were enemies, yet dependent.

The life of luxury was visible overhead, yet forever out of reach. They were restless, simmering with madness and desire, always waiting for a chance. At the first whiff of opportunity to rise above their station, they would pounce, even at the cost of their lives.

“Hey, did you hear? Someone’s buying up the remains of mechanical police officers!”

“Hasn’t the black market always done that? They only pay a thousand for a complete one. If it’s even slightly damaged, they only give half. Way too cheap!”

“It’s not the black market this time—someone’s offering ten thousand. Robert tried reaching out, and have you noticed how he’s been splurging lately?”

“So that’s it! No wonder there are fewer and fewer mechanical police out on patrol! Damn, with a chance to make money like this, I’m going to grab some too! C’mon, let’s go!”

“If you’re only just thinking of it, you’ll miss out entirely! I’ve already rounded up a crew, got two vans, and we’re heading to a nearby town for a job. We don’t need a lot—just a dozen mechanical police officers would cover our expenses for a year!”

“Ha, you’ve got a good head on your shoulders. Let’s go, right now!”

“Don’t forget the EMP hand cannons. Without them, you’ll leave traces!”

“Relax, I know what I’m doing!”

Conversations like this spread through the underworld of the slums in recent days.

No one knew exactly when, but the mechanical police officers that once filled the streets had become synonymous with cash. Those who got wind of the news early had already traded the local mechanical police for gold. By the time the secret got out, people realized that the mechanical police from several nearby neighborhoods had all vanished!

Panic set in. Friends called friends, everyone dug out their hidden weapons, and they joined the frenzy to hunt down mechanical police officers.

The lure of money drove them mad. Truckloads of mechanical police were hauled to the manor, converted into streams of digits.

With so many vehicles, it became a hassle to drive in and out. By chance, Gao Ning decided to send the trucks and their cargo straight into the recycling factory, paying a little extra, and the speed of collection multiplied several times over.

In just seven days, Gao Ning’s account had surpassed one hundred million.