In the exhibition room, a one-ter-high chanical puppet is placed in a glass display cabinet.
Lifelike, resembling a real person.
Human form, without hair, clothes, or other embellishnts. It is evident that this is made using wood as the material, adopting light brown wood, without varnish, just the original color of the wood. The surface is polished smoothly, with details crafted with great care, truly lifelike.
"This chanical puppet is entirely made of wood, without using any other materials. Even the connecting parts are joined using a structure similar to mortise and tenon joints."
Mr. Carter introduced it with a rather proud expression.
This is a chanical puppet that can astonish many dostic and foreign experts and scholars.
Soone once offered thirty million at a high price to buy the chanical puppet for research, but the old curator refused under any circumstances. When the country sent scholars to study it, the old curator agreed, but these scholars, except for showering praises, could not research anything.
"This must be more difficult to create than a robot, right?"
Listening to Mr. Carter’s introduction, Katherine Collins was both delighted and excited.
Mr. Carter nodded proudly, "Logically, that’s the case."
"These eyes..."
Through the glass cabinet, Katherine Collins stared at the puppet’s eyes.
This chanical puppet is made to a one-to-one scale according to human proportions. The reason it’s only one ter high is that it’s modeled after a child.
Although it lacks hair and clothing, its features are truly realistic, especially the pair of eyes, perfectly inlaid, with distinct black and white, shiny black pupils reflecting light, so well-made that they seem real.
Mr. Carter continued, "They say it’s made from a very precious black stone processed with so technologies. No matter how we look at it, it looks like real eyes. Experts have appraised that just this pair of eyes is worth several million."
Regarding this chanical puppet, Katherine Collins showed great interest and enthusiasm.
Previously, when visiting, many people didn’t speak, and even the explanations were extrely official. Though it looked amazing, it ultimately lacked so realism.
—It seed no different from those simulation robots.
But, this close interaction felt entirely different.
All joints are chanical!
The finger joints are completely lifelike. It’s said that like real fingers, they can move flexibly!
Without any power source, surprisingly, the chanical puppet can make its actions.
Katherine Collins, with endless questions, engaged with Mr. Carter.
Henry Chapman consciously stood beside them, still silent, not speaking a word, but in reality, he heard all their conversations.
He actually didn’t have an interest in chanical stuff.
For instance, the chanical toys made by Nora Scott...
Because those things are flashy, without any visible value.
Nora Scott also treats those things as toys, usually doesn’t bother, and never "popularized" chanical techniques to him.
However, this chanical puppet is sowhat special.
Not only because it is lifelike, carrying nurous titles, attracting people to flock to it, but also — it can move on its own without modern technology.
Compared to them, Nora Scott appears "not curious at all."
While Mr. Carter was enthusiastically introducing, at so point, she had arrived at the door, leaning against the door fra and wall, pulling out her phone, boredly texting Pedro Langley to pass the ti.
[Pedro Langley]: Speak properly, don’t send photos.
Since Pedro Langley asked her where she was, she casually took a blurry photo and sent it over, again receiving backlash from Pedro.
This wasn’t enough—
[Pedro Langley]: You made Katherine look like she’s one ter twenty.
[Nora Scott]: ...
[Pedro Langley]: What is Henry Chapman doing there, too?
[Nora Scott]: You must be poisoned; you can recognize even through blurry photos?
[Pedro Langley]: I’ve seen the backs of all the n around you, so I can recognize them.
[Pedro Langley]: What’s he doing there?
Nora Scott briefly told Pedro Langley about Luna Durant taking José away, and how she had Henry Chapman co to save the day.
After that, Nora Scott added a sentence.
[Nora Scott]: Are you attracting rotten relationships?
[Pedro Langley]: Bad relationships are countless, just hold onto one good one—yours.
"..."
Nora Scott sighed helplessly.
When the phone screen lock button was pressed, Nora Scott heard so movent; raised her eyes and saw staff opening the glass display cabinet, carefully moving the chanical puppet to a table covered in red cloth nearby.
The photographers from two program teams have already found the angles and are ready.
—You can clearly sense their current tension.
Perhaps these photographers didn’t expect that the temporary task they were given to shoot would be so "valuable."
"How does it operate?"
Katherine Collins followed the puppet’s movents closely, like a curious baby, tossing one question after another at Mr. Carter.
This question made Mr. Carter pause, then he asked Katherine Collins, "Do you know what a clockwork chanism is?"
"Yes."
Katherine Collins stopped, nodding her head.
Clockwork chanisms are most commonly seen in so wind-up toys. It’s an apparatus for starting machines, coiling flat steel pieces tightly, using their elastic force when gradually uncoiling to create power, thus letting machines operate briefly without electrical ignition.
Raising her finger, Katherine Collins pointed in the void, asking puzzled, "This, does it use a clockwork chanism?"
"I heard it’s based on a similar principle," Mr. Carter explained. "Of course, the structure is far more complex. It’s said to be tightly interconnected through thousands of chanical components, with an internal structure like a ticulously crafted factory; a single move can trigger operations throughout the chanical puppet."
"..."
Katherine Collins blinked, half-understanding what she heard.
Mr. Carter laughed awkwardly, "These are conclusions drawn by experts; we’re outsiders and don’t understand them. Whatever they say is how it is."
Hearing the conversation, the corners of Nora Scott’s mouth under her mask curved slightly.
These experts, not very capable, couldn’t create it themselves, but they are good at analyzing.
"Creak—"
Suddenly, the tightly closed door was pushed open.
A frizzy head poked in.
"Ah, sorry, I went the wrong way—"
Clent Winter, who had poked his head in, saw the unfamiliar room and instinctively wanted to apologize.
However, halfway through speaking, as he was about to retract his head, his gaze shifted and fell on Nora Scott leaning against the wall near the door.
His eyes lingered on Nora Scott’s brows and eyes for a few seconds before speaking in astonishnt.
"Huh?"
In the next second, his eyes widened slightly, "Miss—"
Can she be recognized in this way?
Nora Scott raised an index finger, signaling Clent Winter to be silent through her mask.
Consequently, Clent Winter swallowed the rest of "Scott."
He gave Nora Scott an "understanding" look.
Being a beauty like Nora Scott, it’s normal to conceal one’s identity a bit to avoid trouble.
"Lost again?"
Lowering her finger, Nora Scott turned her head to look at him and asked nonchalantly.
Clent Winter is known for his terrible sense of direction.
"Yeah."
Clent Winter wasn’t surprised she knew this; he only smiled awkwardly.
He intended to take his leave, but suddenly he glimpsed a couple of familiar photographers and then noticed the lifelike chanical puppet... After scrutinizing the room, his expression shifted gradually.
"Wasn’t the puppet’s chanical showcase supposed to be tomorrow?"
Clent Winter subconsciously lowered his voice and cautiously asked Nora Scott.
Actually, because of his sudden appearance, most of the room’s gaze was now focused on him.
Additionally, the room was quiet enough for everyone to hear what he said.
A futile effort of hiding.
"Today, it’s just a few of us watching." Nora Scott responded casually, seeing his innocent look, and asked, "Want to join us?"
"May I?"
Clent Winter’s eyes imdiately lit up.
He’d been eagerly anticipating tomorrow night for a long ti! Now that he could view it earlier, he certainly wouldn’t refuse; instead, he was eager to join in.
Full of anticipation and joy, his fluffy hair swayed with his enthusiastic nodding, making him look even more adorable.
"Okay."
Nora Scott nodded.
Just in case sothing happens tomorrow... Anyway, let’s fulfill Clent Winter’s wish for now.
Clent Winter showed a happy expression, but then he glimpsed the cold and ruthless Mr. Carter facing the program team, making him hesitate once again, "But, what about them..."
"Whatever Miss Scott says goes."
The cold and ruthless Mr. Carter imdiately adopted a sycophantic attitude.
Such a quick change of attitude...
Clent Winter was overly surprised, his mouth slightly agape, turning his head incredulously to look at Nora Scott.
Nora Scott shrugged, "Co in."
"Yay!"
Clent Winter nodded enthusiastically, beaming with delight, quickly slipped inside from the door, and instinctively closed it.
Woo-hoo!
Even getting lost can lead to such luck!
Clent Winter’s happiness was all over his face.
"Is the showcase about to begin? May I record a video? I promise not to show it to anyone but my mom..." Clent Winter suddenly moved closer to Nora Scott, his voice lowering as if sharing a secret, ultimately whispering, "She researches chanical techniques."
"...Okay."
Nora Scott agreed, unbothered.
She rembered when Clent Winter received the comic book, signed copy, and chanical box she gifted him, he posted a tweet the following day.
He candidly said that his mom opened the chanical box, humorously dubbing her "Luban reborn."
Demonstrating in front of a capable peer...
Nora Scott never minded such face-gaining events.
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